We have a nice flock of call ducks, and our daughter likes to hatch some out every year and take the best to show at the fair. We have had great luck with them hatching under a broody (duck) hen, with a nearly 100% hatch rate, but when we try to incubate eggs, we are struggling.
Again, fertility is not the issue; it must be our technique. We've tried a couple of different incubation methods. First, 99.5 degrees (verified by several temp probes) and 45-50% humidity to lockdown, then bump it up to 60-65%. The second year, we tried the same temp, but a dry hatch, then bump humidity up at the end. This year, we're trying the same temp, but 60% humidity the whole time and cooling and misting for 10 minutes a day starting on day 8.
Every year, including this year, the babies begin developing, then we lose them at various times throughout the incubation. Some quit early, some get to full term but don't absorb the yolk, and some make it all the way to the end, but never internally pip. We have had one duckling internally pip, then fail to do anything more. We assisted that hatch, and that duckling is the only one we've hatched successfully in an incubator.
These calls are not super typey, therefore, shouldn't have as many issues as the more show quality ones, so what are we doing wrong?
I should add that the incubators we are using are both NurtureRight 360s (one is brand new), and we have hatched a variety of other poultry and fowl successfully, including peafowl. We just can't get the call duck hatching right.
Any tips?
Again, fertility is not the issue; it must be our technique. We've tried a couple of different incubation methods. First, 99.5 degrees (verified by several temp probes) and 45-50% humidity to lockdown, then bump it up to 60-65%. The second year, we tried the same temp, but a dry hatch, then bump humidity up at the end. This year, we're trying the same temp, but 60% humidity the whole time and cooling and misting for 10 minutes a day starting on day 8.
Every year, including this year, the babies begin developing, then we lose them at various times throughout the incubation. Some quit early, some get to full term but don't absorb the yolk, and some make it all the way to the end, but never internally pip. We have had one duckling internally pip, then fail to do anything more. We assisted that hatch, and that duckling is the only one we've hatched successfully in an incubator.
These calls are not super typey, therefore, shouldn't have as many issues as the more show quality ones, so what are we doing wrong?
I should add that the incubators we are using are both NurtureRight 360s (one is brand new), and we have hatched a variety of other poultry and fowl successfully, including peafowl. We just can't get the call duck hatching right.
Any tips?
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