Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

[cochins1088]

hey @cochins1088 any suggestions on how to get weight loss from some silky duck eggs? tips tricks welcome!

I'm sure you've already read it, but just in case you haven't, here's Pete's guide to incubating waterfowl eggs. You already know most, if not all, of the information it contains, but it's still a useful article. I followed his guidelines for all of my waterfowl eggs and up to this point, every fertile duck and goose egg successfully hatched.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

Are your eggs not losing enough weight? All I can say is to keep the humidity low. Perhaps start misting and cooling the eggs once daily to encourage evaporation.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: the silky eggs dont loose weight like other waterfowl, even holderead has issues t

 

[cochins1088]

the silky eggs dont loose weight like other waterfowl, even holderead has issues thats why they stopped selling eggs. If I would have more (many clears) I would drill a hole in two as a trial and see if that works better than misting them

Interesting. I didn't know this.

Are the shell's thicker? Or less porous?

Drilling a hole would help with moisture loss, but it might put the embryos at a greater risk of bacterial infection.

 

[cochins1088]

I know others have tried sanding down the shells to aid in moisture loss.

I've never tried it, but sanding the eggs would thin the shells while still keeping them in tact.

What day are they on? What is their current weight loss?

 

[subhanalah]

I've also ready about people sanding Down Marans eggs to get a better hatch rate. A vertical sand about half way down the egg, on four sudes

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:

I know others have tried sanding down the shells to aid in moisture loss.

I've never tried it, but sanding the eggs would thin the shells while still keeping them in tact.

What day are they on? What is their current weight loss?

day 7 and I cant weigh as my scale bat is dead, I have gotten one in it but its too late to begin weighing, lets just say at day seven the air cells are only about a dime! like nicer than a fresh laid egg!

I have been spraying them about 5 times a day, I think I will move them to a coolerbator so they can lay sideways, I was thinking the big new coolercabinet would dry them out better, but its a pain to have to cool n spray them. IDK I will watch them if by day 20 and embryos are strong it is then I may add a air hole, as the inner membrane also has antimicrobial stuff going on. and my gutt is telling me is safer than sanding down eggs.

I've also ready about people sanding Down Marans eggs to get a better hatch rate. A vertical sand about half way down the egg, on four sudes

I have heard this over and over as well, however I have hatched about 10 dozen marans eggs at dif points some shipped some local from chad and never had any issues with them, most reason is people cant see in them to judge air cells, and again most people use too much humidity. I am still researching and maybe I will sand them, Idk but I must research it all better before I touch them.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Coch I am breaking clears open tonight, should I look for anything other than shell thickness, should I send one to you <giggles> I will send you a dead egg for sure! ha ha ha

 

[Sally Sunshine]

only us for the sake of research!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Moved some chicks to the brooder, ALL are BS FAVS so far and one CCL male it
They were filling up the coolerbator and I think we have about 15 more or so to go!
so they can breath now ha ha ha
all eggs have pipped or hatch except three, one brahma and two CCL are not pipped : (
I cannot complain, thats alot of chicks!





and of course pit stop at the counter top! Photo shoot!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

a duck pull.... the shells are normal, but they are not chalky pourous by any means, they are very very smooth on surface.
Egg is size of a large egg is my guess. I could weigh one now. note the dark spot in the top of the egg? thats the air cell!!!! it is that small!

One thing that may work for eggs like this is not incubating until they are at least 7 days old, as studies have shown, young flocks egg composition is dif as is shell so its been shown that holding them will in fact give a better hatch rate, I think it has to do with PH as well, its a combo of things.... these eggs may have been 5 days old max, I should have thought before hand, but in my excitement I didnt do my homework.