Does anyone else cool incubating eggs?

[Weeg]

A friend of mine lost her flock of ducks yesterday, so we'll be setting 6 (I think it was 6) of their first eggs on Tuesday. Neither of us have ever incubated eggs before, I've always had multiple broods sign up in the past. I read this article last night hoping to be as prepared as possible, what an informative read!
One thing I noticed what that he mentioned cooling the eggs, I've heard of this before but never tired it myself. Does anyone else do this? If so, do you do it in the same way that he says in the article? Cooling for 10 minutes after 6 days, then 15 minutes as time goes on? Also, I'm assuming misting is done during the cooling period. Another question on the topic, should cooling be done for chicken eggs as well? She's going to be doing a lot of incubating this Spring, so the topic is very intriguing to me. Would the chicken eggs be done without the misting?
Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[MGG]

A friend of mine lost her flock of ducks yesterday, so we'll be setting 6 (I think it was 6) of their first eggs on Tuesday. Neither of us have ever incubated eggs before, I've always had multiple broods sign up in the past. I read this article last night hoping to be as prepared as possible, what an informative read!
One thing I noticed what that he mentioned cooling the eggs, I've heard of this before but never tired it myself. Does anyone else do this? If so, do you do it in the same way that he says in the article? Cooling for 10 minutes after 6 days, then 15 minutes as time goes on? Also, I'm assuming misting is done during the cooling period. Another question on the topic, should cooling be done for chicken eggs as well? She's going to be doing a lot of incubating this Spring, so the topic is very intriguing to me. Would the chicken eggs be done without the misting?
Thanks for the help everyone.

That's a great article!
I used to cool my eggs, but stopped. I never noticed any benefit from it, and it's just an extra dangerous step where the eggs could get forgotten about, or knocked down, etc.
So in my opinion, it's not really necessary.
I have done misting too, but it's not necessary either. I do that for some of the more wild type duck species, but I don't think domestics really need it. If you do it, only use warm, filtered water. If you use tap water it can leave residue on the eggs, and if you mist them while they're in the incubator, it can corrode the mechanisms over time. Learnt that the hard way, lol. Always always use filtered water in incubation. To warm it, just start it boiling and pull it before it's done.
Chickens should never be misted, they're not waterfowl.
Misting the eggs is supposed to recreate the moisture they receive when the hen leaves the nest morning and evening to bathe/eat/drink.
She will be wet when she returns to the nest, so misting the eggs can kind of duplicate that. But chickens don't bathe or get wet, so it's unnatural for them.
Did your friend calibrate an additional thermometer and salt test a hygrometer to keep inside the incubator throughout incubation?
I re-calibrate both the thermometer and hygrometer before I set each batch.

 

[Weeg]

That's a great article!
I used to cool my eggs, but stopped. I never noticed any benefit from it, and it's just an extra dangerous step where the eggs could get forgotten about, or knocked down, etc.
So in my opinion, it's not really necessary.
I have done misting too, but it's not necessary either. I do that for some of the more wild type duck species, but I don't think domestics really need it. If you do it, only use warm, filtered water. If you use tap water it can leave residue on the eggs, and if you mist them while they're in the incubator, it can corrode the mechanisms over time. Learnt that the hard way, lol. Always always use filtered water in incubation. To warm it, just start it boiling and pull it before it's done.
Chickens should never be misted, they're not waterfowl.
Misting the eggs is supposed to recreate the moisture they receive when the hen leaves the nest morning and evening to bathe/eat/drink.
She will be wet when she returns to the nest, so misting the eggs can kind of duplicate that. But chickens don't bathe or get wet, so it's unnatural for them.
Did your friend calibrate an additional thermometer and salt test a hygrometer to keep inside the incubator throughout incubation?
I re-calibrate both the thermometer and hygrometer before I set each batch.

Thank you! Great info, it makes sense that it would be a more dangerous step.
She hasn't calibrated and additional thermometer/hygrometer, though I should note that she's using a NR360. Had a successful hatch in the past without calibration. I was concerned about the air cell size this time though, so I'm going to see if she can get one.

 

[MGG]

Thank you! Great info, it makes sense that it would be a more dangerous step.
She hasn't calibrated and additional thermometer/hygrometer, though I should note that she's using a NR360. Had a successful hatch in the past without calibration. I was concerned about the air cell size this time though, so I'm going to see if she can get one.

Have her definitely do it asap. It's the most important thing to do for a successful hatch, imo.

 

[Weeg]

Have her definitely do it asap. It's the most important thing to do for a successful hatch, imo.

Agreed. They all hatched a day early last time as well, so theres definitely some inaccuracy there.

 

[Weeg]

Also, I noticed in that article that he said he didn't up the humidity until he saw a pip. Is this correct? Does anyone else do this?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Yep, I wait to increase the humidity until I see the first external pip...and I follow Pete55's misting and cooling schedule.

 

[Weeg]

Yep, I wait to increase the humidity until I see the first external pip...and I follow Pete55's misting and cooling schedule.

Cool! I think we're going to do this. Maybe have a second rubbermaid bin for misting and cooling. Set a timer. This will keep them from getting knocked over, etc. We really need to give these egg the best possible chance since they're the first eggs from these ducks.
Thanks everyone!
@clbarnar