call duck lockdown

[critterranch]

what day does everyone do lockdown? i wait for mine to internally pip on day 22-24 then lockdown. i have had pretty good results with this all hatching 24-26 days.
but more towards hatching on day 24-25

i incubate at 55%-60% then 75-85% lockdown so far so good i have 10 eggs peeking and tapping on day 24. this is my second set this year.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I keep 'em in the turner till early day 23. Then I move them into the hatcher. I keep it about 75% humidity. I also hatch in cartons and starting around day 7, I cool the eggs each day and mist them. Works better than if I dont.

 

[critterranch]

you hatch call in cartons? and you incubate with automatic turner? what kind of incubator and hatcher? i hand turn everything. incubate with eggs on side on wire.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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Yeah, I hatch in cartons now. I tried it last spring and got better hatches.

The ONLY turner I will put my call eggs in is my Brinsea turner, where the whole incubator rocks back and forth. I will not put them in one of those yellow hovabator turners ever again. I did that last year and had horrible hatch rates, compared to the eggs in the Brinsea. I've heard that calls do better either hand turned or in an incubator where the whole incubator rocks back and forth.


I incubate in my Brinsea Octagon 40 and hatch in either my Hovabator 1602n still air or my Hovabator Genesis 1588. If I hatch in the 1588, it has a fan, so I keep the humidity higher than the still air.

 

[critterranch]

you just do cartons for lockdown? i never would of thought calls were strong enough to hatch in a carton. what day do most of your calls actually hatch on?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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Yup, just for the hatch. I trim the cartons down and put holes in the bottoms for air flow. Normally its late in day 25 early in day 26.


I wish they would start laying soon.

 

[critterranch]

oh yours aren't laying yet mine started feb 1st i have already gotten 56 eggs from my 2 females so far.

i have never hatched ducks in a carton i will have to try i do have eggs to spare a try. maybe i will do one with half in and half out. going to set another 17 today.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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Yowza!!!

Normally mine start the first or second week of March, so im hoping any day now.

 

[marquisella]

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Do you sell ducklings?

 

[critterranch]

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Do you sell ducklings?

yes i did before auction on sat. will have more ready by next auction.