Duck egg air sac/humidity, am I doing this right??? (pictures attached)

[wheresbigfoot]

Are my air sacs too small?? Here's all my info...

Hova bator 2370 w/ incuview(?) auto turner - Shipped eggs from Metzer - opened and candled , no loose/scrambled air sacs, one slightly wiggly air sac - set on counter pointy end down for 12ish hours - placed in running incubator, still with pointy end down and no turner for 3 days - candled again, air sac looks good - placed on side in auto turner with "x" "o" on either side to switch every 24 hours - kept humidity (2 seperate/calibrated) at 30 - 40% - temp 99 with a dip to 97 a few times (3 separate therms, not using incubator therm)

--- last airsac trace was day 14 --
------- today is day 23 ( counted by 24 hours not by the moment I placed in incubator) and no air sac growth ------ humidity hovered between 40 - 45 % ( assuming this is too high?)

--> are the air sacs too small?
--> should I run completely dry for a couple days to help the air sac move down?
--> Something else I should do?

WH - Welsh Harlequin, GRH - Grimaud Hybrid Pekin, KC - Khaki Campbell

 

[chickens really]

@WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

They don’t look too awfully bad to me, but yes, it wouldn’t hurt to run dry for a couple days before you increase the humidity for hatching. Could possibly even wait until late day 25 or even day 26 if they still look small, and if no internal pips or drawdown by then.

I assume the eggs are in cartons just for the pictures?
When you candle, how has the embryo growth looked?

I’m a little confused by laying them in the auto turner, but having the X and O. The incuview turner rolls them on their side, correct?

Good luck with the hatch! Ducklings are the best.

 

[wheresbigfoot]

They don’t look too awfully bad to me, but yes, it wouldn’t hurt to run dry for a couple days before you increase the humidity for hatching. Could possibly even wait until late day 25 or even day 26 if they still look small, and if no internal pips or drawdown by then.

I assume the eggs are in cartons just for the pictures?
When you candle, how has the embryo growth looked?

I’m a little confused by laying them in the auto turner, but having the X and O. The incuview turner rolls them on their side, correct?

Good luck with the hatch! Ducklings are the best.

Thank you! Yes just the carton for the pictures. I will remove the water and check it in the morning to see how much they draw down. The x & o's are because I noticed that the turner does not completely turn them all the way around. I just thought if I switched sides every 24 hrs it would complete the entire turn.. something like that .. when I bought the turner I assumed it would turn completely, when I noticed it didn't I just figured I'd add a quick hand turn. Oh yes it does roll them.. does the not rolling completely matter?? The embryos looked good, lots of good veins and good movement in most. I like to talk to them when candeling .

I'll add a pic of air sac movement tomorrow morning

Again, thank you!

Oh I had the turner name wrong.. it's incuturn

 

[Alexander2000]

They don’t look too awfully bad to me, but yes, it wouldn’t hurt to run dry for a couple days before you increase the humidity for hatching. Could possibly even wait until late day 25 or even day 26 if they still look small, and if no internal pips or drawdown by then.

I assume the eggs are in cartons just for the pictures?
When you candle, how has the embryo growth looked?

I’m a little confused by laying them in the auto turner, but having the X and O. The incuview turner rolls them on their side, correct?

Good luck with the hatch! Ducklings are the best.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you! Yes just the carton for the pictures. I will remove the water and check it in the morning to see how much they draw down. The x & o's are because I noticed that the turner does not completely turn them all the way around. I just thought if I switched sides every 24 hrs it would complete the entire turn.. something like that .. when I bought the turner I assumed it would turn completely, when I noticed it didn't I just figured I'd add a quick hand turn. Oh yes it does roll them.. does the not rolling completely matter?? The embryos looked good, lots of good veins and good movement in most. I like to talk to them when candeling .

I'll add a pic of air sac movement tomorrow morning

Again, thank you!

Oh I had the turner name wrong.. it's incuturn

Nothing wrong with being extra careful!

 

[wheresbigfoot]

we see air sac movement

Ok very little but still enough to tell that it's drawing down. I'll keep it dry for as long as possible and just keep checking.. one of the eggs that I pictured had a ton in growth while the other's (in the entire group not just pictured) had little but noticeable.

If some don't get large enough, what do I need to watch out for? What are the complications?

Is there such thing as too big? ... just trying to figure out if I should keep dry until one internal pips or add water before, so the sac doesn't get too large?

Other than the air sac, I can't tell if there's anything else wrong... I see lots of movement in most, 2 are iffy with little movement but I can't see inside those two well.

Thank you!!! Pictures are of the new air sac line to judge growth

 

[WVduckchick]

Great news!
I normally try to go with the majority, or the more important eggs, as far as when to crank up the humidity

Ones that air cells are too small -
Possible complications are the duckling could have grown too large to be able to maneuver in the egg to be able to hatch on its own. Or it could be the right size, but have some extra fluid that didn’t dissipate or absorb. This extra fluid often causes what we call sticky chicks. It’s an extremely sticky, gooey substance that dries like glue and super hard!

So watch those eggs extra closely. Ones that are extra gooey, pay particular attention to their eyes and nostrils that they don’t get covered and sealed with that goo. I will wipe faces, bills, and eyes with a warm damp cotton ball, but usually give their body a day or so to let them clean most of it, unless it’s super bad. Then a warm bath may be necessary.

Chances are still high that you will have no problems. So don’t panic from what I’ve said! Just be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best.

Can’t wait to see your babies!

 

[wheresbigfoot]

I can't wait either! I started with 14 shipped of different breeds.. down to 8 so far. This is by far my most successful incubation..well except when I let mama duck do it but coyotes got her so here we are trying to grow my flock!

I'm going to keep a close eye on all, no humidity until I have too and update here later. Thank you!! You're awesome .. I'll keep you posted on ones that are too small and we'll go from there if we have too.

Is there such thing as a "tool kit" I should have incase?? I'll dig through the articles on hatching and stuff to see what I can find.

 

[wheresbigfoot]

I mean tool kit as in little stuff to have on hand to wipe or clean etc not for assistance in hatching as that sounds way out of my league