This is going to be a very descriptive post, I really need expert opinions on if its too late to have a 'normal' hatch and healthy duck. I found a mallard duck egg on a sidewalk by a pond last Thursday. At the time I was completely ignorant on the needs of an egg and grabbed it, took it home, and stuck it under a heat lamp wrapped in a cloth baby diaper (with duckie pictures on them) Then I googled some stuff and found out that I could candle the egg to see if it was alive. I did it like three times a day (poor little thing) and did not see anything until day three, blood veins and a little beating heart! So of course I fell in love and really did some research. I then found out I was doing everything wrong and it was a miracle he/she is even alive at this point. I have had it for 10 days now and it has the air sac, quite a bit larger embryo that is very active, and lots of blood veins. I am worried since I do not have an incubator that he is going to come out all deformed because of my ignorance. I have him in my walk in closet in a tupperware drawer with a cardboard box top over it and a cut out circle to place the heatlamp, two thermometers, a humidity reader (that is usually at 30% and I have a milk carton filled with about 2 inches of water and a rock in the water, don't know if I should put more water in there) I try not to bug him too much anymore but I do turn the egg every three to four hours clockwise and then counter clockwise so I don't get anything wrapped up. This of course makes the temps fluctuate if my thermometers are even reading correctly. The thermometer that is suctioned to the side of the box reads 95 degrees but it is by a vent hole (I have to small vents on the side of the box I cut out for oxygen and two on the other side cut out on the top to release the 'bad' air) then the second thermometer is laying next to the egg on a cloth diaper and it is reading 104 degrees, so confusing... My questions do you think the temp is okay? is it reading 104 because it is touching the cloth and it is reading high or should I try to adjust? Should I move the thermometers I am also worried that he is wiggling around so much because he is tangled up (I did not know about clockwise and counter when I first started turning the egg) Is it okay to have the humidity that low? The air sac seems small so I don't want to add humidity, but maybe I should spritz him once a day? I heard that the moms go in the water and then get the eggs wet by sitting on them. Did I do a ton of damage by handling him so much. I feel terrible about not incubating him but I really do not have the money to buy one and I do not plan on ever incubating an egg again so it would be just for this egg only. Sorry about all the detail but I really need help, I don't know what I can do to make the best environment for him and can use any help I can get. Any advice I will happily take. Thanks, Katie
I'm not an expert, but maybe you can get some ideas from folks who have home made incubators and adapt it to your one egg. Here is one thread that might help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/550234/home-made-incubator Even with store bought incubators, not all the eggs hatch. If the egg is not developing normally then nature will likely take care of it, itself and the egg wont hatch, but don't worry it shouldn't cause the little being in the egg any undue pain. If the egg doesn't hatch within 28 days, just know you did the best you can. But if it dose hatch, you may have a cute little duckling.
Thanks everyone! I did look into that link and if I can figure it out I may put in a pc fan. It will help me sleep better at night . I did add a hole on top and now the temp reading on the thermometer next to the egg reads 102°. I really hope he makes it after what I've put him through he deserves it! Thanks again for everyones reassurance. Katie
Thats a cracking story.....duck eggs take about 25 days to hatch, so it's got a way to go just yet. All I would add is towards the 23 day mark try to get the humidity up past 70% use hot water to get the humidity to spike, you'll have to keep on top of it ever few hours. If the humidity isnt high enough in the final stages the egg will be too hard for him to break out. Hope this helps P
Can I just add, dont bother with a fan...but try to bring the temperature down a little as close to 98 as you can (just add a few holes at a time) . It might be a touch on the warm side for the little geezer.
Don't duck eggs incubate a bit hotter than chickens? We incubate right a 99, for chicks. (you'll have to do your own research on the temps, and decide for yourself.)
Hi and from Ohio. So glad you joined. Duck eggs incubate at the same temp 99-99.5 as chickens. It is just the humidity that is different. Ducks need higher humidity than chickens. Good luck.
