Asking again

[shelleyd2008]

Ok, first off, this is not supposed to be a staggered hatch!

I have 13 duck eggs that are due between the 9th and 11th of this month.

At day 9 or 10 the incubator they were in quit. They were at 82 degrees Christmas morning when I realized it. They were cool to the touch.

I have candled them, and they are all (that are left) still alive.

The problem is that there are some that look full (4 I think), and some that look like they still have over a week on them?

How do I do this? Do I seperate the ones that look 'on time', so they can hatch, then let the others wait till they look ready, or do I go ahead and bump the humidity for all of them?

When I hatched my pekin babies before Christmas, they looked 'full' the whole last week of incubation. That's why I'm asking. There are only 4 or 5 that are full looking.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I wish I could help but I've never hatched Ducks or had a staggered hatch.

If you have a hatcher why not just moved the ones you know look to hatch on time? That way you won't ruin the slow pokes if they need alittle more time.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yeah, that's what I have been thinking. Since I know they should look full the last week, plus they get a yellow spot on the inside of the shell once they pip internally, it would be easy to tell when they are ready, then I could move them.

Ducks need to be hatched around 80%, that's not too high for chicks right? I have some frizzles due to hatch on the 13th, and they will have to go in with the duck eggs if I have to stagger them.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I hatch my chicks at 40% to 50% the first 18 days and then 60% to 70% the last 3 so I'm not sure 80% would be good for chicks.

Maybe someone else will pop in with an answer as to how they would do it. I would worry the chicks would drown but thats me.

 

[lockedhearts]

I have never done ducks, but as a hatch-a-holic who frequently ends up with staggared hatches, IMHO I would try to hatch the ducks seperately.
Could you borrow a second hatcher or make one in time? I think I remember seeing that ducks need to be hatched at a higher humidity.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I already have 2 borrowed bators! This is so aggravating! They were supposed to all hatch at the same time, and then the bator died! It is working okay now, but it has messed up the development of the eggs!
I have 4 bators total, one with ducks, one full with staggered chicks, one will be full in a few days then one for hatching.
Gosh, this is so aggravating!