Consistently early duckling hatches

[SarahIrl]

I hatched out some ducks for Mahonri's infamous easter hatch and am now hatching a whole load more. I got 20 eggs, 19 fertile and developed to now, I set them on 23rd of May. So, by rights, I should set them for hatching on 19th, which is Sunday, and hatch on 21st (I know there are no Muscovys), all with me? I have just gone to do my last candle, and found three pipped. Not just pipped, either, good pips with further cracks on shell as in trying to being to zip. I am three days from lockdown, and I guess I'll have at least one out in the next 24 hours or so. What is going on? My temps are set at 99F, lower than I hatch out chickens, and my humidity is bang on (I can only hatch ducks in this incubator, everything else suffers) so what am I doing wrong here? Very confused! Not that I mind too much, but I know they will hacth up until and possibly past the 21st (30 days) as this happened last time and although I didn't dare candle tonight, I just quickly removed the turner and upped humidity, I know some are a day or two behind. All eggs were collected day of lay and all were kept in the same manner until I got them.

 

[MommaOrp]

I'm no expert but sounds like you may need a new incubator if everything else is suffering. However my ducks hatched a little early (by a day or so). Sorry i'm not much use!!

 

[loprettaerin]

Quote:
Depending on the duck they actually should hatch at 28 days not 30 my rouens normally start pipping on day 25 and hatch mostly on day 26. I have talked to others that do call ducks and there normally start hatching on day 26.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

My BEI's consistantly hatch on day 26. I start moving them to the hatcher on day 24 because I find many of them pipped on day 24.

 

[SarahIrl]

Well these are 'farmyard' ducks, they come out in all colours, I guess a mixture of mallard, kakhi campbells and ayelsburys. They could be anything, teh last ducks I hatched from this place had blue down, brown down, yellow down and brown and yellow down so who knows what they are. Not miniature like calls, etc, and not as big as muscovies anyway. So, I have one out since this morning (day 26) and fifteen more pipped. Lost two as they pipped into the yolk sac. I blame myself here for not being more vigilant as three had pipped before I got the turner switched off. Mind you, the first one out has played footy with them all day so that one's removed to the brooder on his own (well with a cuddly toy) he's nice and quiet. Kinda blue/brown down, they will all be different!

 

[loprettaerin]

Quote:
My rouens are not mini ducks and they always either start hatching or hatch on day 26. Everything I have read says 28 days for dometic ducks with only exclusion being muscovey's. Rouens orginated from malards and pekins being crossed many many years ago and kaki cambells are also in mallard family.

Not sure were you read 30 days on those duck breeds.

Was just trying to help and let you know they are hatching on time.