Duck Incubation time.. (first timers)

[GeoGreyWolf]

Well this batch I candled last night, day 7. in the Incubator 18 eggs, 17 of them show signs of life.. My Blue Swedish Drake is definitely doing his job lol. I have been keeping the humidity lower, max was last night at 42% but it is mostly staying in the 30's. Temp for my forced air is 100 degrees F. I am hoping no mistakes this time, Pekin x Swedish mixes and Rouen x Swedish mixes. My Swedish female is still not laying eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Awesome looking forward to seeing these lil cuties when they hatch.

I bet it won't be long till your Swedish is laying how old is she now?

 

[Eagle Flight Farm]

We are completing day 15 and all 8 Ancona duck eggs are doing well and the little ducklings are really active inside when candled. All the air cells seem right on target except for 3 which have smaller air cells. I started wiping them with a damp sponge instead of just misting 3 days ago. I'm hoping these 3 air cells catch up with the others before lockdown. Humidity is running between 30% and 40% (usually in the 30's). I am also letting them cool a bit daily, just as suggested by David Holderread in *Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks*.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Awesome looking forward to seeing these lil cuties when they hatch.

I bet it won't be long till your Swedish is laying how old is she now?

Not sure, got her as an adult from someone. Picked her up with Mal and was under the assumption they were of laying age.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

We are completing day 15 and all 8 Ancona duck eggs are doing well and the little ducklings are really active inside when candled. All the air cells seem right on target except for 3 which have smaller air cells. I started wiping them with a damp sponge instead of just misting 3 days ago. I'm hoping these 3 air cells catch up with the others before lockdown. Humidity is running between 30% and 40% (usually in the 30's). I am also letting them cool a bit daily, just as suggested by David Holderread in *Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks*.

Hmm I am wondering if the cooling has anything to do with it. They stay in the incubator with top on 99.9% of the time. Only get cooler when i take the lid off to add water, and candle.

 

[Eagle Flight Farm]

Hmm I am wondering if the cooling has anything to do with it. They stay in the incubator with top on 99.9% of the time. Only get cooler when i take the lid off to add water, and candle.

I've been going by David Holderread's suggestions in the book, "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks". I'm referencing pages 178 & 179.

I'm incubating shipped Ancona eggs (from NC to OK) and the ones with smaller air cells also had some damage to those air cells upon arrival as well as varying degrees of damage to the others. All the air cells repaired themselves by keeping them point end down and just tilting for the first 3 days of incubation, then I laid them on their sides and used our automatic turner.

The rather surprising thing is that all 8 eggs are losing weight, but the ones with smaller air sacs are a bit behind. All the others are well on track to reach 13% by lock down. I'm guessing the 3 eggs with the smaller air sacs are either thicker shells or have a heavier bloom on them from the duck hen that laid them, so I will keep concentrating on wiping those eggs with a damp sponge once daily, while just misting the others.

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

Well its down to the wire.. have 4-5 eggs with external pips.. One of them has a hole already made... only a matter of time i guess now..

 

[GeoGreyWolf]

So since my luck with hatching duck eggs has not been the best, was wondering in case. After external pip whats the time frame before help is needed with the hatch?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Ravynscroft

@WVduckchick
@Pyxis

 

[WVduckchick]

Ducks take a long time after they pip. Usually will make several pips close to the first spot before they get going. It can take anywhere from 12 hours up to even 48 hours. Probably will be closer to 18-24 hours.