First time with an incubator

[Airamith]

Hello everyone! It's a little while since I posted anything, so I hope everyone had been well.

We finally went over the deep end, and my husband bought me an incubator for valentines day. I've got a dozen eggs in it right now and they've been in there for 14 days. I've attached a couple photos of day 6.

They're call duck eggs from a free range group at a local farm close to me. All 12 were fertile, I had 12 visible little heart beats on day six and was so surprised and happy. Today though, I think I might be down to ten. I'm not sure though. I have some pictures of the two in question added in.

From what I've read, they should have a gestation of 28 days. So, if I started them on Monday February 15th, "lock down day" should be Tuesday after next, the 9th, and hatching should start around that Friday, right?

When should I ramp up the humidity, and to how high?

I was so "I got this!" but now that I might have lost two, I'm more along the lines of "You're going to kill them all!"

 

[cavemanrich]

Just do your best... Very few times do peeps get 100% hatch. 80% is considered good.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[aart]

Here's some light reading for you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-incubation.73350/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubation-humidity.73386/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...gs-no-problem.1046313/page-5385#post-16540512

 

[Airamith]

@aart Thank you so much for all of this reading! I made some immediate changes based on what I learned from the links you provided. I for sure lost two of them. The other ten are all still dark and have veins, though some I'm not sure if they're alive or not.

I learned from some other threads on here that the hatch date is 26 days rather than 28, so I rushed and put them in lock down just a few moments ago. Friday is day 26, so I hope I didn't wait too long. I also came home to the temperature being down to 97 degrees, which has me super nervous. This is my first time hatching anything, and I have apparently chosen a difficult breed to go with. All I can do now is wait and pray though.

 

[Airamith]

I HAVE A PIP!!

My gawd, how do you guys deal with the waiting? There's an initial pip, and I'm like THEY'RE HATCHING!! but really it won't be till like, tomorrow or the next day, right?

 

[aart]

My gawd, how do you guys deal with the waiting?

Good time to go do some chores.

 

[Airamith]

Haha, that's exactly what I've been doing! I started digging a small pond for them. Got it to 6x5x2 so far. Got some seeds started for garden expansion, started marking the ground for the big garden, did some trimming and pruning, etc. My hubby is like "So, we're going to buy like ten more incubators and just always have chick's hatching?" XD

 

[aart]

Haha, that's exactly what I've been doing! I started digging a small pond for them. Got it to 6x5x2 so far.

I was going to suggest getting the brooder ready.

 

[Airamith]

xD that's been ready for almost a week.

 

[Airamith]

Two pips! The first egg has a second crack started, and I could see the egg wiggling this morning! The second egg is pipped at the wrong end, though the "pip" is literally the entire end of the egg being broken open. The membrane is intact, but there's a good sized chunk of shell down.