ARGG!!! Call Duck incubating Tips.. 4/44 hatched

[Neverenuff]

Frustrated!! I have hatched ducks before with great sucess, however these call ducks are going to be my demise. I put 44 eggs in 2 different incubators 40 made it to 26 days I got 2 out of each incubator to hatch and I had to help those out. My Temp was dead on 99.0 -100.0 forced air and different humitidys the first bator I ran it about 40% the other one 55% one was hand turned the other was turned by a turner. I had only 6 outer pips total and one more internal pip the rest did not pip at all. I tried to help the others out but they did not make it. My friend is giving me 30 more eggs sunday if I want to try again. Anyone have any tips? I have not ruled out trying to buy a adult (chicken) hen to set but I doubt that I could get one by sunday and convice her to go broody (and I do not know any chicken people around here). I am on a time constraint. The ducklings have to be 6 months old by end of November (using them for a dog herding trial). So If I do not put them in this week I am out of luck.
any thoughts?

Jamie

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Try cooling and misting the eggs. About day 7, cool the eggs for 5-10 min per day and mist during that cool down period. That helped me increase my hatch rates. I also started hatching in cartons, like I do my chickens, and I believe that has helped also.

 

[Neverenuff]

Thanks. I did not cool or mist, mosly because it has been so wet here in Kentucky for the past month is the reason I did not mist. I did hatch in cartons. So when you cool the eggs do you physically take them out of the bator or just open the bator top?

the next hatch goes better.


Jamie