Da' Cute and Cuddly Call Duck thread!

[WVduckchick]

This is my first go. Someone in another group I am in suggested the method I am using so I am following it verbatim. If I don't have success I will definitely try something different. I think the cooling and misting is to mimic the hen getting off the nest and returning from a dip. I was curious about turning over the pointy end. I though a horizontal rotation would be used but I'll try it his way and see how it goes.

Yes, the cooling and misting is closest to natural. I'm just not sure about the rotation. I'll be curious to see how it goes for you. I'm not discouraging it... it could work great!

This is from Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. They do say they have increased results with misting. I think I did it with my very first duck hatch (Swedish), but not after that. I needed to mist one set of Call eggs once, just to increase moisture loss. I may consider doing it with this hatch.

 

[iluvsedward]

I have 3 in I put in on 3/1 and I put two more in last night. I am not getting many. I just have one hen out of 6 laying but I am trying to hatch all they can. What is your incubation method @WVduckchick ? Its my first spring with calls so I am of course overthinking everything. I have a GQF Sportsman cabinet incubator which is also full of chick eggs on the trays. I read that the auto turner was bad for calls so I have them sitting in the bottom on their side and every morning I turn them over the pointy end and in the evening when I get home I take them out for 15 minutes to cool, mist them and turn them over the pointy end again. The 3 eggs that are on day 6 have at least 2 embryos forming. One egg looks infertile but 2/3 is ok for my first time with my first eggs ever. Anything I should change? Temp is at 99.8F and humidity at 40-60%.

I started with the same humidity for my calls and the aircells were too small about midway through the hatch i switched to dry incubation. Different for everyone i think but just keep a close eye on air cells. Also, if its a still air temp should be 101.5, forced air your temp is fine.

 

[WVduckchick]

I started with the same humidity for my calls and the aircells were too small about midway through the hatch i switched to dry incubation. Different for everyone i think but just keep a close eye on air cells. Also, if its a still air temp should be 101.5, forced air your temp is fine.

I start with no water. For me, I find it works easier if the air cells are too large, just increase the humidity. When they are too small, it's more difficult to catch up by lowering humidity. It's really humid where I live, so even with no water, "dry" for me means about 25-30%.

 

[iluvsedward]

I start with no water. For me, I find it works easier if the air cells are too large, just increase the humidity. When they are too small, it's more difficult to catch up by lowering humidity. It's really humid where I live, so even with no water, "dry" for me means about 25-30%.

Im going to do that next time. It's usually very humid where i live as well! But i think during the winter not so much. My hydrometer was reading around 15% dry, im currently calibrating it with the saltwater using your article haha. (A little late i know) But it looks pretty accurate, currently at 69% so it's definitely not too off which is a relief.

I think the bloom on the shells plays a big part in it. Duck eggs probably have the thicker bloom because the hen would sometimes return to the nest with wet feathers rubbing a little off. In an incubator you dont really have that. I also believe the bloom on each individual egg affects it a lot because I noticed that only one of my eggs has dipped when all three of them should be.

 

[WVduckchick]

Im going to do that next time. It's usually very humid where i live as well! But i think during the winter not so much. My hydrometer was reading around 15% dry, im currently calibrating it with the saltwater using your article haha. (A little late i know) But it looks pretty accurate, currently at 69% so it's definitely not too off which is a relief.

I think the bloom on the shells plays a big part in it. Duck eggs probably have the thicker bloom because the hen would sometimes return to the nest with wet feathers rubbing a little off. In an incubator you dont really have that. I also believe the bloom on each individual egg affects it a lot because I noticed that only one of my eggs has dipped when all three of them should be.

Saw you were in Maryland, thought we might be close, but you're wayyyy over there! LOL

Duck egg bloom is interesting. I noticed the ones I just set seem to be much less waxy bloom than last fall, and alot less than the ones I hatched from @Ravynscroft 's flock. I assume these will lose moisture quicker, but it will be interesting to see how it goes.

 

[iluvsedward]

Saw you were in Maryland, thought we might be close, but you're wayyyy over there! LOL

Duck egg bloom is interesting. I noticed the ones I just set seem to be much less waxy bloom than last fall, and alot less than the ones I hatched from @Ravynscroft 's flock. I assume these will lose moisture quicker, but it will be interesting to see how it goes.

Yes unfortunately not too many people in my area have ducks, much less call ducks, which is decidedly my favorite poultry yet, so it's hard when I want to buy/sell.

I have one internal pip and two working on it but the one that did hasn't made a peep, is that normal for calls? Ive only hatched them once and i don't remember. In all my other hatches i hear peeping if i talk or tap on the shell lightly. Im about 99% positive its broken the membrane though cause i have been monitoring it and i can see the shadow of the beak chewing and yawning. Maybe it will be a boy

 

[WVduckchick]

Pretty sure mine were loud enough to hear peeping, but a fan does overpower them too. Hope it's going well now!

 

[iluvsedward]

Pretty sure mine were loud enough to hear peeping, but a fan does overpower them too. Hope it's going well now!

I have a still air hova. Had it for like 8 years and Im very pleased its quite dependable!

Its fine though I hear a bit of peeping now. Sounds healthy and excited to get out. Been internally pipped since around ~8pm yesterday. I opted for safe holes just to be safe, although ive read this can slow things down because the build up of CO2 apparently makes them try to pip ! Which I didn't know, but with calls id rather be safe than sorry anyway.

 

[iluvsedward]

Its been about 17 hours since the internal pip with no external pip. I have a safety hole. Humidity is at 66%. Im not too worried but of course it's hard to check the incubator every so often and not see a pip. @Pyxis @Ravynscroft should I worry?

 

[Pyxis]

Its been about 17 hours since the internal pip with no external pip. I have a safety hole. Humidity is at 66%. Im not too worried but of course it's hard to check the incubator every so often and not see a pip. @Pyxis @Ravynscroft should I worry?

Sorry for replying so late. The safety hole was great, that was the right thing to do. If you don't see any more progress in the next twelve hours, I'd open the shell over the air cell entirely, moisten the membrane with coconut oil, and then just wait. When it's ready to hatch it should be able to push itself right through the membrane with no more help needed.