Floated incubated eggs, egg sank but moved

[FrancesR]

the temp was set at 97.6 and I don't know about humidity. It has a fan. I added water to the well like the instructions said and also wetted the paper towel on the bottom of the incubator daily. I will go to your website Lacrystol, as I hate to make mistakes that waste perfectly good little lives. Thank you!

 

[Lacrystol]

the temp was set at 97.6 and I don't know about humidity. It has a fan. I added water to the well like the instructions said and also wetted the paper towel on the bottom of the incubator daily. I will go to your website Lacrystol, as I hate to make mistakes that waste perfectly good little lives. Thank you!

Sounds good, Remember don't combine the two methods and if it's VERY WARM in your area and you decide to use method two, please mist them at least Once a day. In my case, I did not have to because Sassy was born at a time when the weather was NOT hot..

 

[Cookenfisch]

Hi Lacrystol,

I forgot about my thread after my bad hatching and had chicks hatching shortly afterward. Here is the update. I have a fan force incubator with autoturn function, humidity and temp control. I hadn't gotten a liquid thermometer at the time of hatch but think the incubator temp is fairly close to what the monitor says (if not slightly lower), as 100% of chicks incubated at the same time hatched. The incubator was set at 38 degrees (100.4) and about 50-55% humidity. Stopped turning at 25 days and opening briefly to add water. None of the first batch of duckling hatched. Most reached a large size, some pipped but failed to hatch, others died before pipping. all air sacs seemed very small.

I had a second set in the incubator 2 weeks younger, but couldn't do much to increase air sac size, dropping the humidity didn't do much. From the second set of eggs, all developed to late stages. I had a separate incubator but no humidity controls so followed instructions filled all wells and added some dishes of water also. Set fan forced incubator at 37.2 degrees (99). 4 pips from 10 eggs. 2 pipped day 26 but failed to unzip, 1 pipped day 27 failed to unzip, 1 hatched easily day 28 strong and healthy.....

All the air cells were quite small.

I have had my 3rd batch at 37.8 degrees (100), 40% humidity and misting daily until day 20. The air cells are alot larger than the first batches, all ducklings seem to be quite active in the eggs. Moved to hatching incubator today Day 25, full water trays and and extra bowl, temp 37.5 (99.5). I have also not been weighing these ones as often. This is also the duck and drakes first year.

I am hoping for a better outcome and will keep you posted. Lacrystol I shall visit the links you suggested first thing tomorrow and really appreciate the advice, especially the safe hole, and I didnt realise I could have the humidity that low...wow so much to learn.....

 

[Lacrystol]

Hi Lacrystol,

I forgot about my thread after my bad hatching and had chicks hatching shortly afterward. Here is the update. I have a fan force incubator with autoturn function, humidity and temp control. I hadn't gotten a liquid thermometer at the time of hatch but think the incubator temp is fairly close to what the monitor says (if not slightly lower), as 100% of chicks incubated at the same time hatched. The incubator was set at 38 degrees (100.4) and about 50-55% humidity. Stopped turning at 25 days and opening briefly to add water. None of the first batch of duckling hatched. Most reached a large size, some pipped but failed to hatch, others died before pipping. all air sacs seemed very small.

I had a second set in the incubator 2 weeks younger, but couldn't do much to increase air sac size, dropping the humidity didn't do much. From the second set of eggs, all developed to late stages. I had a separate incubator but no humidity controls so followed instructions filled all wells and added some dishes of water also. Set fan forced incubator at 37.2 degrees (99). 4 pips from 10 eggs. 2 pipped day 26 but failed to unzip, 1 pipped day 27 failed to unzip, 1 hatched easily day 28 strong and healthy.....

All the air cells were quite small.

I have had my 3rd batch at 37.8 degrees (100), 40% humidity and misting daily until day 20. The air cells are alot larger than the first batches, all ducklings seem to be quite active in the eggs. Moved to hatching incubator today Day 25, full water trays and and extra bowl, temp 37.5 (99.5). I have also not been weighing these ones as often. This is also the duck and drakes first year.

I am hoping for a better outcome and will keep you posted. Lacrystol I shall visit the links you suggested first thing tomorrow and really appreciate the advice, especially the safe hole, and I didnt realise I could have the humidity that low...wow so much to learn.....

do you have them laying down?

 

[Cookenfisch]

They were air cell end up in the autoturning incubator and then laying down from day 25- hatch

 

[Cookenfisch]

Lacrystol, i read your web site an will try giving one of the methods a go. My third hatch had 8 eggs, first pipped day 25 and died, 2 pipped day 26 (1 unzipped partially then died and the 2nd unzipped completely then died with the shell stuck and still in it), 1 pipped day 26 and hatched day 27 no problems, 1 pipped day 27 didn't do much day 28, I helped day 29 as the outer membrane very dry, some inner membrane had dried on the duckling. 3 dead in shell without internal pip. All oriented in the correct position.

Would the trouble hatching be a humidity issue still, a temperature issue perhaps, me or the duck pair? They are a backyard quality Cayuga pair.

Finally. The second duckling to hatch has not fluffed up in many spokes due to the membrane etc setting like glue on it's down. should i leave it or is there a way to wash it off? I would like to move it to the brooder soon as the other duckling is on its own.

 

[Lacrystol]

Lacrystol, i read your web site an will try giving one of the methods a go. My third hatch had 8 eggs, first pipped day 25 and died, 2 pipped day 26 (1 unzipped partially then died and the 2nd unzipped completely then died with the shell stuck and still in it), 1 pipped day 26 and hatched day 27 no problems, 1 pipped day 27 didn't do much day 28, I helped day 29 as the outer membrane very dry, some inner membrane had dried on the duckling. 3 dead in shell without internal pip. All oriented in the correct position.

Would the trouble hatching be a humidity issue still, a temperature issue perhaps, me or the duck pair? They are a backyard quality Cayuga pair.

Finally. The second duckling to hatch has not fluffed up in many spokes due to the membrane etc setting like glue on it's down. should i leave it or is there a way to wash it off? I would like to move it to the brooder soon as the other duckling is on its own.

I think your trouble is you have them in the turner large end up, doesn't matter if you lay them down before hatching day, they should be laid down on day one. Ducks do better laying down, you can lay them down on the turner.....look at my pic in Method 2, lay them down with tape to hold them. See if that doesn't work, I have tried several times with the turner and again, MUCH better success rate with them laying down..

the gluey duck you need to wash him with warm water get that gooky stuff off, The goey stuff is definitely your sign of to much humidity.

 

[Cookenfisch]

thankyou so much will try laying them down, mumma does that in the pen.....

 

[Cookenfisch]

Well two female ducklings out of 8 eggs. Meant to be backyard quality Cayugas, so white chests and lower white jaw, very cute and couldn't possibly part with them. One has the most interesting white swirling/motling on its head and patchy yellow black face....love them.
Rechecked the incubators with another thermometer. It looks as though the hatching incubator has been too hot, so have reset lower and keeping track. The main incubator appears to have been running too low, but only slight adjustment as the chicks have been hatching and the ducks developing to very late stage.

Laying eggs down and change in temp and humidity, hopefully better hatches to come.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

 

[Lacrystol]

Well two female ducklings out of 8 eggs.  Meant to be backyard quality Cayugas, so white chests and lower white jaw, very cute and couldn't possibly part with them.  One has the most interesting white swirling/motling on its head and patchy yellow black face....love them.
Rechecked the incubators with another thermometer.  It looks as though the hatching incubator has been too hot, so have reset lower and keeping track.  The main incubator appears to have been running too low, but only slight adjustment as the chicks have been hatching and the ducks developing to very late stage.

Laying eggs down and change in temp and humidity, hopefully better hatches to come.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

Awee that's to bad but also good at least you got some!!!