Perfect! More hatching buddies! What's your hatchdate?We just set our eggs today at 8 PM so we will be close to your hatching schedule as well. We sat 57 eggs we have a GQF sportsman 1502. It’s our very first time so much to learn! We had another farm give us 22 eggs of barnyard mix. And we had 35 eggs of white and brown leghorns and Easter Eggers. Our black copper marans are on vacation to perhaps next time.
I have never hatched ducks so not sure but why shouldn't you turn them? I know my friend hatched ducks in an NR360 and she had them turning in the turner the whole time. With shipped eggs if the air cells are wonky they will say to have them pointy side down to get the air cells to settle but if air cells aren't wonky then I believe the should be turned. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on ducks with give more information. one thing I have learned though is eggs/babies are stronger than you think. ((((((HUGS)))))))) I hope some hatch for you!!!!!!!Can I join in? It might only be temporary, but anyway I set our first six Welsh Harlequin ducks eggs today(!) Just before noon, eastern time. Lol
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Sadly, we lost our drake on January 5, and our ducks hadn't started laying yet. But sure enough, exactly two weeks later, we started getting eggs! So I've been collecting them and was able to borrow a NR360 from a friend, so I'm hoping to check for fertility soonish. I don't really have high expectations, but man, if we manage to get anything going here, I will just be over the moon!
I only realized today some of the recommendations NOT to turn in the beginning, since the auto turner starts on its own from Day 1. And only after first having set them one way, but then seeing another video of a lady with my same incubator, I decided I needed to flip them around to try to better angle the pointy end down... Only to see that it seems like they slip off the turner anyway, and they are all just laying flat regardless, so I'm not sure it really mattered which way I placed them, and ultimately I just jostled them around for no reason.
Two things - One, I love the reminder to just think positively and not obsess or stress the details, because if there's anything fertile it will probably be fine, And in my case that is a BIG HUGE IF, (so more likely is that nothing is actually fertile anyway and it's all just practice and an interesting learning experience. haha) and Two, it dawned on me that I can just unplug the power to the turner, which is exactly what I did at my last check as I came up for bed, and I'm thinking it may not even affect the day count, either.
So best of both worlds? In my imaginary, "think like a mama duck" scenario, she had an OCD moment of concern where she just had to flip them over in her nest and make sure they were all still there before starting to sit, and then eventually settled in for a nice deep snooze, keeping them warm but without turning them at all overnight. Ha! Seems plausible enough, right? I'm going with it. (Someone please tell me I haven't already killed my eggs.)
Thank you, yes they have to survive all kinds of crazy conditions in the wild don't they? And somehow, life prevails...
Hmmmm. Not sure. A broody will turn her eggs and not know when 24 hrs is up. Or think I saw mine turning hers. But it could be that chickens differ from ducks or geese???? I don't think I have heard others say that before but I also don't read a ton of duck/goose threads.Thank you, yes they have to survive all kinds of crazy conditions in the wild don't they? And somehow, life prevails...
I was pointed in the direction of this guide:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/
Where it says:
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So, that's all. Whoever wrote this guide sure had put a lot of thought and detail into it, but I don't know how exactly "authoritative" it may be.
Right, I'm going to try not to over think it. Lol #impossible Anyway I plugged the turner back in so I don't forget or have to think about it, (we are at the 20 hour mark), so we'll see how it goes. I had the passing thought of trying to candle, but then I thought about opening everything up and finding a super dark place to take them, and it all sounded like not worth the added disruption to their cozy little bubble just yet...
haahaa! It is sooooooooo hard not to candle! If you can wait till day 4..... I normally give in on day 3 and just do it at night after the sun goes down since then the room is dark so I don't have to move from right in front of the incubator. I know some can pick out spots etc early I don't have luck with that being fairly new (hatched my last batch since I was a child last year). day 3 you should be able to really see and most def by day 4. doesn't mean there aren't some stragglers that you miss that you will notice on day 7 or 10....... but most times you will see most of them by day 4 and probably day 3. guessing you set about mid day if you are at the 20 hr mark so if you candle after the sun goes down or even 8-9 pm on Fri then you will be getting close to 3.5 days which should be good. Hopefully I did that counting right.
Great! Mine will be hatching before yours tho. I think my hatchdate is Feb 4our Hatchdate is Feb 14th for a full 21 days for chickens
Yes! You counted right
I was thinking Friday, too, and I think you're right that it makes sense to wait till nighttime when everything will be darker, plus getting closer to 3.5 days at that point...
