emergency duck egg rescue incubation

[KBgirls]

Day 16 and all my eggs are doing great!!!!

 

[Kaessa]

Day 16 and all my eggs are doing great!!!!

 

[KBgirls]

So I posted some pic's on the incubation thread, and some have made comments of my humidity being too high and concern with the air cell in my 16 day duck eggs can any one give me any advice as to if my air cells look about right? And also they is lots of movement in all 4 eggs they go crazy when candling!

 

[KBgirls]

I just got a response and they say that the Aircell looks too big but the embryo looks like it's about the right size?????

 

[KBgirls]

I just got a response and they say that the Aircell looks too big but the embryo looks like it's about the right size?????

So I candles my eggs all 4 16 days and put a line around the air cell some are big some are small/ about the same ???

 

[WVduckchick]

So I candles my eggs all 4 16 days and put a line around the air cell some are big some are small/ about the same ???

I think they look just fine. Definitely not too small, as would be expected with too high humidity. Possibly a little larger than expected, but I think I would check again about day 20-21 and see how they look. I think we all just jumped the gun and said 45-55 is high, as I think it is for most people. Did you do the salt test on your hygrometer?

 

[KBgirls]

Not sure what that is " salt test "? I have had so many different answers as to how high the humidity should be everyone has said 40 50 55 % not sure ??

 

[WVduckchick]

The salt test is a simple, scientific test for a hygrometer. Take a small cup, shot glass, or even a pop bottle top... Put some salt in it, add water just until its damp/slightly slushy. Not enough water to dissolve the salt. Put your hygrometer and the salt slurry in a ziploc bag or Tupperware bowl and seal it. Dont let the hygrometer touch the salt! Let it sit for a couple hours or even overnight. The hygrometer should read 75%. Its the scientific humidity of the slurry, always consistent. If your hygrometer is a little lower or higher, you can adjust by how far its off. If it reads 70, then just add 5 to your reading in the incubator. If its alot off, its a little more complicated about how much its actually off, but adding/subtracting is still close enough.

And again, what works for most or some, doesn't work for everyone! You have to do what works for you. Do you live in a really dry area?

 

[KBgirls]

Thanks I will give it a try! I live in MA not dry at all like 40% most of the time

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks I will give it a try! I live in MA not dry at all like 40% most of the time

I didn't think MA was dry, but had to ask. I'm going to guess that your hygrometer is reading high, but I'd love for you to prove that wrong. Another wrinkle to the dry incubation techniques LOL