- Jan 28, 2013
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Hi fellow fowl enthusiasts,
I've done a couple small duck hatches now with my Hova Bator 1602 and my hatch rate seems to suck. I'm not even at 50%. I have 2 incubators, one set up with a fan and egg turner and then a brooder-bator for lock down that does not have the fan. All of my eggs seem to develop really well and then something goes awry when they transfer. I do find that the brooder-bator is much harder to keep the temp stable.
I also have had a few ducklings pip and then die in the egg. I have suspicions that within my mixed flock the larger drakes are getting my runner girls and the ducklings seem soooooo tight in the shell that I wonder if they aren't a little too packed to be able to unzip properly.
Its just heartbreaking. I have assisted a few of them, but I can't always be awake and at home.
Just a post to vent and look for helpful suggestions. I know I should get a fan and install it, that should help, but the brooder-bator is kinda on extremely long term loan from a friend who I hatch for. (we got too impatient to wait the last few days of lock down to fill up the turner again!)
I've done a couple small duck hatches now with my Hova Bator 1602 and my hatch rate seems to suck. I'm not even at 50%. I have 2 incubators, one set up with a fan and egg turner and then a brooder-bator for lock down that does not have the fan. All of my eggs seem to develop really well and then something goes awry when they transfer. I do find that the brooder-bator is much harder to keep the temp stable.
I also have had a few ducklings pip and then die in the egg. I have suspicions that within my mixed flock the larger drakes are getting my runner girls and the ducklings seem soooooo tight in the shell that I wonder if they aren't a little too packed to be able to unzip properly.
Its just heartbreaking. I have assisted a few of them, but I can't always be awake and at home.
Just a post to vent and look for helpful suggestions. I know I should get a fan and install it, that should help, but the brooder-bator is kinda on extremely long term loan from a friend who I hatch for. (we got too impatient to wait the last few days of lock down to fill up the turner again!)
