Can't hatch duck eggs to save my life...

[missred871]

Quote:
Here is something I found while researching "relative humidity for incubating duck eggs"


"The optimal humidity for duck eggs is 65% and temperature is 98.5 degrees Fahrenheit"

Read more: How to Incubate Duck Eggs | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5640552_incubate-duck-eggs.html#ixzz1O4H6AYgp

 

[gofasterstripe]

What was the temp & humidity thru out incubation and what did you bump it up to for hatching.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Quote:
Here is something I found while researching "relative humidity for incubating duck eggs"


"The optimal humidity for duck eggs is 65% and temperature is 98.5 degrees Fahrenheit"

Read more: How to Incubate Duck Eggs | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5640552_incubate-duck-eggs.html#ixzz1O4H6AYgp

Funny - when I google "relative humidity for hatching duck eggs"

That is the one article that quotes 65%... the rest say 55%.

 

[StevenW.]

Can I join the club?? I've maybe incubated 50+ eggs this year ( Oh my gosh! That's alot! I just counted while typeing this too

) and I've had only 2 hatch. Infertile eggs, blood rings, late quitters.

 

[TV]

The old guy I got my Muscovies from told me he learned about incubating water fowl eggs by watching his hen geese. Every day when they got off of the nest to eat and drink, they would find a nice big puddle of water and slash around and soak their breast feathers then return to the nest and plop down soaking wet on the eggs. He told me most people don't have the humidity high enough, He literally sprayed his eggs once a day and he hatched thousands. He also told me he quit trying to incubate Muscovy eggs because nothing could do a better job than a Muscovy hen.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Yup, tried spraying with water on a batch or two, too. That's when I had higher humidity, too.

As for hatch humidity - I've never bumped it up this year because none have ever made it to hatch time.

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
I started with 12 mallard eggs...lost half at 9-10 days....now down to the four and one is definitely dead...possibly two....one has been pipped but not quite all the way through for 2 days....I did bump the humidity but could only get it to 72 % at best....today is day 29...so I feel your pain

 

[MNwaterfowler]

I also have learned the hard way. One year lost 130 Woodduck eggs and almost called it quits. Started talking to others and each of them said it was humidity. Starting out I keep my RH at 70% and right now I have it at 86% and the Mandarins, Woodducks, and Pintail are popping like popcorn.

Mike

 

[NYRIR]

Quote:
Wow...that's quite a loss! Do you think with larger ducks this applies as well? I would be mainly hatching BO's,Cayuga,Mallards,maybe pekins...etc.
BTW, I checked my eggs today...all dead

 

[L0rraine]

My advice won't be nearly as helpful as others here, but just to share your pain ..., I can't seem to hatch ducklings in the incubator either -- My broody ducks seem to have much more success with their hatch rates (good old Mother Nature).

However -- it seems any chicken eggs I stick in the thing come popping out with no problems, even though I'm terrible about temp and humidity and opening the top during hatches. Which MAY (or may not) point to the humidity problem with ducks.