Hatch Upright or Laying on Side?

[free range possum]

I am having a hard time getting information on whether or not to keep my duck eggs in a cut down egg carton for hatching. They were shipped eggs and a few had weird air cells so upon research found that they should be upright to help them along, but now I am concerned that they will not be able to hatch upright. There is so much information out there. Should I keep them in the carton or lay them flat? Its day 27 and I still don't know if they are okay. I haven't seen or heard anything from the eggs since my last candle before lock down. They were all healthy and moving at that time... PLEASE HELP!

I have a 10 year old Lyons Roll X bator. It rolls the eggs. Ducks can "hide" eggs pretty well so when I find them I don't know how long they laid their, but I ALWAYS find them on their sides. I Put a damp but not dripping cup towel on them for about 10 minutes, then roll to the other side and repeat same before putting in bator. I do NOT wash them. I've found that the side hatch has been very very reliable no matter when ,how I found eggs after laid. The Roll X is a zoo favorite still used in many expensive bird hatching operations. These are consistent performers for humidity and temp..but I think the side hatch is the ace. Goose, swan, and even 2o plus pelican eggs have proven that there is a reason mother nature lays the eggs on their sides. I believe it's more surface contact with mother and more humidity. Generally if you made it to lockdown with eggs alive, the usual bacteria and other things that case late hatch death are past .I have muscovies. They will hatch a rock! So if you wanted to have some fun and not worry so.. buy a nice, even older muscovy hen and put donor eggs under her. I've had hens Lau 25 eggs and I slip a dozen donor eggs under her and she will hatch and raise them all..almost 40! The weather /almostmbient temp if you are in deep south (I'm in Texas ) and if bator is in a building not climate controlled, the outside heat can cause a early hatch due to dehydration, and the babies will possibly stick to inside and need help in incubator. Muscovy take 35 days, but she will act appropriately if you place chicken or other eggs under her. I hope all is well for you and your little ones! I have had muscovies many years and find them the most rewarding for the least work. We have alesbury and dark khaki cambells that may lay more, but NOTHING , hands down, matches the scovy for skeeter/fly eating, ease of care, monster Olympic class brooders, keeping your garden bug free, and just amazing tailwagging joy that learn their names and give you many many broods a year plus males make excellent guards and very good ,steak like meat. I pinioned mine UNTIL I figured out how easy they are to train. Again, I hope all is well. Invest in a muscovy pair and by fall you will have nearly 100 ducks and lots of joy!

 

[free range possum]

They are lots of fun to breed for color!

 

[Zarumley]

I'm pretty sure you should lay them on their side with the air cells facing up. Let's see if @Magnolia Ducks is around. Or @Kiki

I went ahead and moved them quickly but carefully onto their sides. Now I can see 3 of them rocking a little! Hoping to see the other 4 move at some point too. Thank you for the help. I'm hoping I didn't ruin their lock down period and risk their lives, but to see some of them move is wonderful.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Yes that's what I do. I candle to make sure the aircells u p. Since they sort of flop out the big end I think it's easier for them to get out that way.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I went ahead and moved them quickly but carefully onto their sides. Now I can see 3 of them rocking a little! Hoping to see the other 4 move at some point too. Thank you for the help. I'm hoping I didn't ruin their lock down period and risk their lives, but to see some of them move is wonderful.

I wouldn't freak out about opening the incubator during lockdown. Most of us do and as long as it's a quick look it will be fine.

 

[free range possum]

I went ahead and moved them quickly but carefully onto their sides. Now I can see 3 of them rocking a little! Hoping to see the other 4 move at some point too. Thank you for the help. I'm hoping I didn't ruin their lock down period and risk their lives, but to see some of them move is wonderful.

Any emergency where you can't control the temp or have to do anything like this, I get a cup towel, dampen with about 100%water, ring it out and set in rack or container I'm moving eggs to. I then gently tuck them carefully under the towel and keep a like towel over the ones I'm about to move. Power outages, candling, anything. I had somebody slam something on counter by bator, and it bounced and hit the side causing eggs to jostle. 2 eggs had fine cracks after exam in them one by one and keeping them toweled. I actually used bees wax to try to save the 2 eggs. One egg made it to hatch without issues and the other, the duckling struggled and I couldn't stand it, and set it on a heating pad in a zip lock bag and gently kept using q tips with a little oil diluted and dabbed to loosen the baby up. 4 hours of tiny swabs and it finally staggered exhausted from the waxed shell. I put it in with other cracker and let it rest a bit in a toilet paper tube in the brooder. It was nerve racking for a few days, but the boiled eggs crumbled and prayers paid off! Ducks are bottom heavy like weebles. They can wobble the eggs easier on the side and don't waste as much energy. The bobble should increase, then lessen as the babies rest and go at it again. I hope they all make it out soon to meet their mom, and you can get some carol to cover the grey hairs that all this caused. Where there is life, there is always death...but there is always hope and prayers. I stopped on the side of the road and prayed for these babies and for you to have the hope to not give up.. and although people call them dumb animals it humbles me that animals know our creator's plan and wisely never stumble from that simple path . If I were to be so confident every single day and so faithful to that plan no matter what challenges life seems to throw at me, as a tiny little duck..I'd be glad to have feathers since I'd already be pretty close to heaven! I talk to the eggs every day, and look forward to the little souls whom will touch my soul or those whose family they will go to. Everyone tells me how I breed such freindly ducks. I DON'T! I just am awed by how I can have a pretty rough day at work. (And believe me, being in law enforcement is not a easy path nowadays) but over and over again, a tiny helpless critter without hands or any schooling, and get out of that egg and prove that the creator's plans are revealed even in the darkest times. We are in dark times, but..if that little duck doesn't give up, then surely I can try to let you know, we will never meet but we all care about your struggles, and share your tiny steps towards saving these babies. We all have birds in our lives for many reasons. I CAN CERTAINLY GUESS THE BIGGEST ONE IS JOY!

 

[free range possum]

That's Claire hair color and about 100 degree water to heat/dampen towels and to clarify, the heating pad was in the zip lock bag, not the egg/cracker. Sing Amazing Grace while checking the crackers..it will sooth you and them. I'm singing right along with you although my bucket has a hole big enough to drop a watermelon out of, and I sound like cats caught in the fan belt under my car hood. I'm still going to sing, and anybody out there in on this conversation that has rubber bands on a tissue box that wants to play that like a guitar, is welcome to join in

 

[Zarumley]

They are lots of fun to breed for color!

They are beautiful! Thank you for sharing!