Calling all duck hatching experts...

[Blooming chicks]

Is it normal for duck eggs, at day 22 in the incubator, to be rolling around? 4 of 7 are rolling all over the place--should I put them in lock down? I am afraid I will drown the other 3 if they aren't ready yet. Any advice?

 

[FenDruadin]

When mine aren't confined to a turner, they roll and rock for DAYS before pipping, and they usually pip two days before hatching, so that actually sounds about right.

To be sure, candle them and look carefully at the air cell. About a day before they pip, they will have their little bills in the air cell and it will look like a pointy little shadow in the air cell. I always wait till the first one does that, and then lock them all down.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Blooming chicks]

Okay! Thank you. I have been looking for the little bill poking out and don't see it yet. So I increased the humidity a little bit--to about 60% I guess I can back it down until I put them in lock down.

 

[FenDruadin]

You can go ahead and raise the humidity if you like, as long as the air cells are well developed. What do they look like? Ideally, I like them to fill 1/3 the volume of the egg, but I'm generally satisfied with 1/4. Less than that, and I worry (and usually my hatch rates are lower). If they are 1/4 or larger, it won't hurt to raise the humidity early, and might even help keep membranes and such moist and supple. But if they're on the small side, then I would lower it and let them develop a bit more.

Good luck! Everything sounds like it's going well so far!

 

[Blooming chicks]

They are all definately 1/3 of the egg. I also see lots of movement in most of the eggs, but no bill through the air cell yet. I am so excited, I dont want to do anything wrong...should I still be turning them until day 25?

 

[FenDruadin]

Sure, go ahead and turn them until you see the first pip or an internal pip. Just check the incubator carefully each time to make sure you don't see any external pips before opening--once that happens, you don't want to lose moisture by opening.

Have fun!