Duckling egg problem

[Chookman1234]

Hi I tried to hatch Cayuga duck eggs and on the last three days all the ducks died in the Shell they had not piped or internally pipped yet I tried again with eggs in the same thing happened and then I've tried again with all the eggs and the same thing happened it was the last three days and they all died can someone please explain what's happening. Regards Beau

 

[Chookman1234]

I candle the duck egg in the morning and it was still moving and you could see the veins but tonight I can't all that and they were dead and all the veins had gone mushy

 

[Debbie292d]

Gosh, I am so sorry! How frustrating for sure. Well, let's see if we can't figure this out.

First, what incubator are you using? Does it have a fan?

Temp should be 99.5F throughout the whole 28 days.

Humidity about 50% until the last three days, (lockdown), then stop them from turning, lay flat on a mat, humidity up to 70%, and don't open the incubator until they've hatched.

If you are just going by the incubator's temp/humidity readings you need to get yourself a hygrometer/thermometer or two and double-check, as the incubators are not always right. I have three Brinsea 56s, and only one is correct.

 

[Chookman1234]

Hi the incubator is nurture right 360 and the humidity and temperature has been perfect

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi the incubator is nurture right 360 and the humidity and temperature has been perfect

That was my first incubator and it was off by one full degree.

I don't know then, if you've had the temp and humidity spot on, they should hatch. Was it turning them? Vent open all the way the whole time?

I'd get some eggs from someone else and try it again. Maybe even just try some chicken eggs in there as ducks are a bit tougher to hatch than chicks.