ducks and chickens... a few questions help please

[sunket77]

Hi Everyone!

I have chicken eggs due 4/20 and ducks due 4/27 ....
When I go into lock down I planed on setting the duck eggs in a small egg carton after I take the turner out BUT that means I can't turn them will they be not being turned for those days?

or should I set them on the floor with the rest so the hatching eggs might roll them around?

They are bantam eggs and call duck eggs ... do they hatch earlier or later than standard size?

also, I would like to set some more eggs soon b/c the duck is still laying and I don't want to miss the opportunity and the eggs I have collected will be to old to hold on to by hatch day. I am down to 3 duck eggs developing and I know the mortality rate for calls is high. If I set them soon with the others there is the same delema at lock down and not being able to turn the eggs

THANKS in advance!!!!!

..... I think I need another incubator!

but I can't afford it right now

 

[krstms]

I dont know the answer but I'll give ya a bump.

 

[newduckie]

I don't have an answer either but will keep it active..

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

from what i am understanding but new to the whole incubation of eggs. I am reading that when they are in lock down you do not touch the eggs. i think you just keep an eye on the temps though.

But i do not know if once the bator is in lock down if you are suppose to open it to add more eggs to it though.
deana

 

[sunket77]

well.. I am not in lock down yet not until like 4/18 ... I am just worried about not turning the eggs for those 3 days... the ones that won't be due yet that is..

 

[oldno7ranch]

Do you have a atomatic turner?? If so is it one you can remove racks on?? I hatch chicks and ducks together if I only have one rack of ducks in the bator, on chicken lock down I take out all the racks but one and let it keep turning (the one close to the motor). And then they are fine till hatch, then take out chicks and ypur good to go. other may have differnt ideas or things to say but this works for me...good luck and Happy Hatching!!!

 

[sunket77]

Quote:
OH! thanks! I will check to see if I can remove the racks ...I sure hope I can that will solve my problems... someone else mentioned the other eggs getting contaminated from the ones hatching... is that a common problem?

 

[iajewel]

You can buy a cheap hatching bator at Orselins or most farm stores/feed stores for around 40 or less. Many times for the still air bators its about 30.00 Its well worth the money to not have that mess in your hatching incubator and then you don't run into issues like this either.
I spent over 100 on my hovabator with egg turners etc and Love it and then have a cheap one for hatching.

 

[jbear]

Quote:
the eggs hatch at the normal hatch dates-- bantams=21 and CD=28

I DO know that turners are hard on CD eggs--they are too 'jerky' and break the vessels away from the inside.... I hand turn mine at the recommendation of a CD breeder.. But other peeps may have good luck with turners, I just didn't want to chance it. He also mentioned that you can collect eggs for up to 10-14 days on the CD's... I was worried about how long to hold them before incubation as well.

Good luck, and am curious to know how your hatch goes! I have only one incubator too, a second is on my want list.. oh wait--that's a need! lol!

 

[sunket77]

Oh yes it's a need! lol! I may see if I can scrounge up some $$ for another bator before hatch day or borrow one from my sons 4-h group just for hatch day...hhmmm... also I am hoping the turner is doing ok it urns so slow you can't see it moving, also, I had a couple of eggs that didn't develop at all they where the oldest eggs maybe around 10 or 11 days old but then again they were her first eggs so maybe they didn't have good fertility. Thanks for the well wishes everyone!! I will post when things start moving along!! I really want this hatch to go better than the last one!