first time incubating

[chickenlittle84]

Second pic looks better, good and full. I've never hatched muscovies. Just regular ducks and chickens. Usually that clearish looking area will end up causing the chick to be sticky. Most say it comes from too high humidity. From what I can see (on my phone lol) the air cell looks decent. Have you added water throughout the process? The humidity should definitely be higher for the hatching process than it was thru the rest, so if you haven't been using any water, I'd add some now. You don't want enough to cause condensation on the walls, but enough to make the air moist.

So now you have week-old chicks and muscovies? I hope this guy comes out for you!

I'm picking up eggs this afternoon to start a new hatch. I guess I'm ready for the torture again lol

I've had water in there the whole time and added some extra sponges to dampen when the chickens wouldn't hatch. I've been keeping the water full and occasionally misting ( not directly on the egg) I think you might be right about the duck being sticky, all the chickens that died were quite gooey and sticky when I opened them up. Do you think they might of drowned from too much humidity? Is there anything I can do at this point to save the duck?

I've got 2 week old chicks and 3 Muscovy ducks. The ducklings are huge compared to the chicks. I think they were all the same age though. I guess the new one if it hatches will grow quick but his egg looks so tiny compared the other babies. Hope he doesn't get picked on. Should I set up a separate brooder for him and wait till he's a bit bigger to join the group? Assuming he hatches. The egg is still rocking a lot so I think that's a good sign

Good luck with your hatch, I don't think I'll try again, not enough patience. Lol

 

[chickenlittle84]

*that was 8 two week old chicks and 3 two week old ducklings *

 

[marnette]

This is my first time incubating. I am so excited but so worried that I am going to mess something up. I put 37 egg in and over the last couple week I have candled on days 7 and 14. I have removed all of the infertile and ones that where quitters early on. I still have about 20 eggs To day is day 18, and that's what scares me. They are in an automatic turner, temps are good, humidity has stayed around 40-45 at all times. I have read that once I take the eggs out of the turner and put them on the wire that the temp change could kill the chicks. What do I need to get my humidity up to? And how do I address the couple degrees difference on the wire? Do I just slowly increase the temp?

 

[WVduckchick]

Yea that's probably a bit too humid. But not much you can do now for the duckling, except hope it works. I won't put any water in my bator until day 18. Maybe just a squirt, if it gets too dry.
I would keep this one separate for at least a couple days, let it get its strength up, in case the others pick on it a little. You will just have to play that by how they act. And yes, ducks grow a ton faster than chicks. My 9-weeks olds look like adults already! Chicks still look young. But if your others are just 2 weeks, hopefully this one will blend in fine.

And I hope you change your mind and try again. Its very satisfying when it works.

 

[WVduckchick]

This is my first time incubating. I am so excited but so worried that I am going to mess something up. I put 37 egg in and over the last couple week I have candled on days 7 and 14. I have removed all of the infertile and ones that where quitters early on. I still have about 20 eggs To day is day 18, and that's what scares me. They are in an automatic turner, temps are good, humidity has stayed around 40-45 at all times. I have read that once I take the eggs out of the turner and put them on the wire that the temp change could kill the chicks. What do I need to get my humidity up to? And how do I address the couple degrees difference on the wire? Do I just slowly increase the temp?

I increase my humidity to around 70-75% during lockdown. And the temp difference is ok, because they generate more of their own heat during the last days anyway. No need to adjust your setting. How do your air cells look? Are they getting big enough? 40-45 is a little higher than I like, but it depends on where you are located and local humidity. The air cells are the key to watch.

 

[chickenlittle84]

Still nothing but a wobbling egg. And a weird bulls eye looking spot that seems to be getting bigger. Its on the outside surface of the shell and could very well be a smudge of ink or something I got on it that's spreading. Its a grey center and a circle of yellow spreading out around it. I wonder if anyone's seen that before and if it could be bacteria forming ? The duckling is definitely still alive and seems to be trying to get out. I can see the egg wobble almost like he's tapping on the inside. When I look at the second candling pic it almost looks like his tail on the right side( kinda pointed) so would that mean he's malpositioned

 

[WalnutHill]

It's possible he broke his yolk if malpositioned, and that could stain the shell.

 

[chickenlittle84]

 

[chickenlittle84]

It's possible he broke his yolk if malpositioned, and that could stain the shell.

Would he still be alive if that happened? I just candled again and there's definitely still movement though maybe not as much as yesterday. I wish I knew what was going on and how to help him.

 

[WVduckchick]

Would he still be alive if that happened? I just candled again and there's definitely still movement though maybe not as much as yesterday. I wish I knew what was going on and how to help him.

I'm thinking it might be time to open a tiny hole in the air cell