duck incubation questions *** pics added page 4

[lnm03]

This is my first time haching any eggs and they are runners I have 12 coming!!!

I have a still air incubator but I bought a fan for it, I have a egg turner as well.

What is the best temps & humidity for a successful hatch?

Also is it ok to use the turner or should I turn them by hand and if so how often?

If I shouldnt use the turner do I just lay them on their sides in the incubator or put them in something?

This is an exciting project for us and we cant wait so any helpful tips and hits are greatly appreciated!!!!!

Thank you!!!!!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i have only incubated ducks once. So you will get far better advice from others on this board. For my one time, i used an egg turner and basically followed the guidelines for incubating chickens - temps at 99.5 for forced air (100.5 for still air), humidity at about 50% for first 25 days, then stop turning and up the humidity to 70% for hatch.

i suspect the humidity should have been higher for the ducks, but i also had some turkey eggs in there. i had five duck eggs and only one hatched. But three of those eggs were East Indies which are supposed to be much harder to hatch due to a fatal gene.

i hope someone who raises ducks will jump in and provide better advice.

 

[katharinad]

Duck eggs don't do well in an upright turner. They do need to lay on their sides. I use a goose egg turner which has them lay on their sides while turning. Turn at least 4 times per day, more is better. You will also have to mist the eggs daily with warm water starting on day 4. Humidity is 55% for the first 25 days, and then 75% for the rest. You do not need to lay anything under the eggs.
Katharina

 

[loopy12]

I keep my humidity at 55% for days 1-25 and 70+ thereafter. Lockdown first thing on day 25 - I often have pips within hours of lockdown. Notably they can take days to go from pip to hatch, unlike chicken eggs. (For example, right now I have 18 eggs due to hatch on sunday. I locked down first thing yesterday morning and 3 pipped yesterday evening and 7 more pipped overnight/this morning, but I won't be surprised if I don't see any actually hatch until late on saturday at the earliest).

I use an automatic egg turner without any problems, but with only a few eggs hand turning wouldn't be too bad anyway. I don't mist either - I did first hatch, didn't second and saw no difference so stuck with that and haven't had problems. Ducks are supposed to be slightly harder to hatch but my hatch rates have been higher with ducks than chickens, with my own eggs and with shipped eggs! I do the same temps as chickens for days 1-25, but I drop it 1 degree for the hatch. I candle day 12 and day 24.

Good luck!

 

[lnm03]

So I should be getting my duck eggs today or tomorrow. My bator is running at 99.0 and 64% humidity. Looks like I need to bring my temp up a tad and my humidity down 9%. Now question on turning....

I leave my house at 7:30 and don’t get home until 5:45. Is it ok to not turn them for that period of time or should I use the egg turner so they get turned on a regular basis? I would turn them in the morning and then when I get home and before I go to bed around 10 if I did it by hand. Is that ok? Or again should I just use the turner?

Thank you for all your help!!!!!!!!!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Personally, i would use the egg turner.

 

[lnm03]

egg turner it shall be! Thank you!!!

 

[1lpoock]

I wouldnt use the turner. Trust me...you will get a bad hatch. Turn them right before you leave in the morning, right when you get home, and right before you go to bed. You will get a much better hatch!

 

[lnm03]

When I turn them how far do I turn them?

 

[1lpoock]

Just lay them on their sides in the bator, not on there ends like you would in a turner. Mark and X on one side and an O on the other side (halfway around). Make a chart, or I can for you...I actually think I have one saved....I'll upload tonight.