Duck incubation and hatching problems.

[danikiser]

Hi. I have a brinsea eco that has been very reliable for me in the past.

I have been having a lot of problems with my hatching and I'm not sure whats going on. I set some duck and chicken eggs, out of 12 chicken, only one made it and it was shrinkwrapped, I had to help it out. Its doing great now.

I set 15 duck eggs, all of which started to develop but only two made it to term, but they pipped internally and never made it out of the egg. I helped them after a few days of trying to hatch, but they never got their strength even though they had absorbed their yolks completely. I couldn't get them to perk up even with yolk and nutridrench.

I have been setting my young flocks own eggs, they are only 7 months or so, but I really need some more girls. I set two, one died, and the other pipped internally but never started on the egg so after 2.5 days I helped it out, its yolk was fully absorbed. According to my dates I should have hatched today, but it pipped internally 5 days ago. She seems to be doing good now, she was weak and although has an appetite, isn't so great at the eating thing. Shes been getting nutridrench, egg yolk and yogurt, though I think more gets on me. I tried making scrambled eggs, but she would put in her mouth and then shake her head and fling it all around.

I have 4 more that are alive in their eggs, officially they shouldn't be due until the 25th but when candling today, the air sacs have dipped. They look like the eggs from the day 26 from the wildlife rehabber website.

I live in semi tropical rainforest, and I've just moved here. I thought maybe the ambient humidity would be enough as some days its like 80%, but quickly discovered the shrink wrapped eggs. I have been adding water now.

I regularly check the temperature, and it seems pretty steady at 99 degrees or so, I use the mercury thermometer that came with the brinsea, and a spot check that seems right on the money whenever I look.

I don't understand what the problem is or how to fix it. Why are they premature? Why aren't they hatching on their own? What am I doing wrong? I don't want to lose anymore babies.

I have to go out of town this weekend, there is no option to cancel, I'm afraid they may hatch early, and while my babysitter knows a lot, I'm not sure she knows when to tell if they are in distress.

 

[Laodicia]

Hi. I have a brinsea eco that has been very reliable for me in the past.

I have been having a lot of problems with my hatching and I'm not sure whats going on. I set some duck and chicken eggs, out of 12 chicken, only one made it and it was shrinkwrapped, I had to help it out. Its doing great now.

I set 15 duck eggs, all of which started to develop but only two made it to term, but they pipped internally and never made it out of the egg. I helped them after a few days of trying to hatch, but they never got their strength even though they had absorbed their yolks completely. I couldn't get them to perk up even with yolk and nutridrench.

I have been setting my young flocks own eggs, they are only 7 months or so, but I really need some more girls. I set two, one died, and the other pipped internally but never started on the egg so after 2.5 days I helped it out, its yolk was fully absorbed. According to my dates I should have hatched today, but it pipped internally 5 days ago. She seems to be doing good now, she was weak and although has an appetite, isn't so great at the eating thing. Shes been getting nutridrench, egg yolk and yogurt, though I think more gets on me. I tried making scrambled eggs, but she would put in her mouth and then shake her head and fling it all around.

I have 4 more that are alive in their eggs, officially they shouldn't be due until the 25th but when candling today, the air sacs have dipped. They look like the eggs from the day 26 from the wildlife rehabber website.

I live in semi tropical rainforest, and I've just moved here. I thought maybe the ambient humidity would be enough as some days its like 80%, but quickly discovered the shrink wrapped eggs. I have been adding water now.

I regularly check the temperature, and it seems pretty steady at 99 degrees or so, I use the mercury thermometer that came with the brinsea, and a spot check that seems right on the money whenever I look.

I don't understand what the problem is or how to fix it. Why are they premature? Why aren't they hatching on their own? What am I doing wrong? I don't want to lose anymore babies.

I have to go out of town this weekend, there is no option to cancel, I'm afraid they may hatch early, and while my babysitter knows a lot, I'm not sure she knows when to tell if they are in distress.

D:
I feel for you.
humidity is really high where I live, while it helps with the main incubation (of chicken eggs I've never hatched ducks and have heard they need way more humidity than chickens) from days 1 -18, I don't add any water for those days. for hatching chickens will need added humidity. The only guess I have for why they might be early is the temps are too high?

do you have a still air or forced air, and how many thermometers? have the one or ones you've been using been tested against what a medical thermometer reads?

 

[danikiser]

Hi, its a forced air and I have three thermometers. One digital that is always 1 degree less, and the mercury that is included with the incubator which has always been correct and a digital one from brinsea which matches the mercury.

Now the little duck, she isn't doing so great, she doesn't seem to be able to eat much and is really wobbly.