Hatching/Caring for New Duck Eggs

[ChickenMomma19]

I have had ducklings before as well as baby chicks, but I have never hatched them until now! I have about two dozen duck eggs in my incubator. I kind of need a step by step DO and DO NOT DO list. I have read so many things, I feel like I am going to miss something. Is there an overview or a basic way it goes?
Hatching: I know I have to let them do it themselves. Do I spray the eggs at all? Does the temp stay the same? Do I continue to flip them? What if something goes wrong? I've been reading horror stories about suffocating and not getting out in time.

Once they hatch: I know they need heat. Can I just use a heat lamp? I know they need water to drink that they can't swim in. Do I use shavings or newspaper? Is regular chick starter feed okay to feed them? Do they need to be kept in a closed container or can it be open?

Sorry for all of the questions, I have a million things I am thinking about. I want to keep as many alive as I can! To anyone who takes the time to answer this, THANK YOU!!! I appreciate it.

 

[mammaofmiracles]

I have had ducklings before as well as baby chicks, but I have never hatched them until now! I have about two dozen duck eggs in my incubator. I kind of need a step by step DO and DO NOT DO list. I have read so many things, I feel like I am going to miss something. Is there an overview or a basic way it goes?
Hatching: I know I have to let them do it themselves. Do I spray the eggs at all? Does the temp stay the same? Do I continue to flip them? What if something goes wrong? I've been reading horror stories about suffocating and not getting out in time.

Once they hatch: I know they need heat. Can I just use a heat lamp? I know they need water to drink that they can't swim in. Do I use shavings or newspaper? Is regular chick starter feed okay to feed them? Do they need to be kept in a closed container or can it be open?

Sorry for all of the questions, I have a million things I am thinking about. I want to keep as many alive as I can! To anyone who takes the time to answer this, THANK YOU!!! I appreciate it.

Hello! I found 6 duck eggs and I'm so very new to this!! I'm in the same boat as you!! I'm so scared and the eggs have only been in my homemade incubator for 5 days (today is day 6) and I'm so scared I'm doing something wrong!!

 

[mammaofmiracles]

 

[ChickenMomma19]

Good luck! I hope it all works out! I just flipped mine again this morning I am on day 24 and I can feel the life inside the eggs! It is such a relief!! I don't know when I should stop flipping them, I don't want them to suffocate but I don't want to not rotate them. :/ SO lost. I am trying to think like a duck. Also I have heard a lot of controversy over whether or not you should dampen the egg shells. Man, this is hard! I just can't wait!!

 

[mammaofmiracles]

I think from what I've read you go into lock down on either day 25 or 26 and make sure the humidity is like 70% or something like that!
Omg how exciting!!!What incubator did you use??
I just ordered little giant 9300.
Do you mind if I ask your process on what you did once you started up your incubator?

 

[ChickenMomma19]

We were actually in the middle of an incubation with our homemade incubator when it overheated and cooked all of our eggs, so my brother gave us a reptile incubator, Exo Terra, which made me super nervous but I did some research and decided to go ahead.
We flip the eggs Three times a day. We try to lightly mist them once a day- this part seemed super controversial and I couldn't decide what to do. There is a stack of paper towels in the bottom that we keep wet as well as a cup of water. We marked the tops and bottoms of the eggs- to help with flipping. We candled them a few times- not on specific days. It's been such a long and short 24 days. It was so fast. I have no idea if we are doing it right or not. I have done so much research and studying I should feel more confident, but it is over a dozen lives I'm dealing with so I'm nervous.

We were planning a camping trip this weekend (the hatch should be Saturday) and forgot to figure in the hatch. My husband said We can't go camping this weekend we will be in labor. He is just as excited as I am!

 

[mammaofmiracles]

We were actually in the middle of an incubation with our homemade incubator when it overheated and cooked all of our eggs, so my brother gave us a reptile incubator, Exo Terra, which made me super nervous but I did some research and decided to go ahead.
We flip the eggs Three times a day. We try to lightly mist them once a day- this part seemed super controversial and I couldn't decide what to do. There is a stack of paper towels in the bottom that we keep wet as well as a cup of water. We marked the tops and bottoms of the eggs- to help with flipping. We candled them a few times- not on specific days. It's been such a long and short 24 days. It was so fast. I have no idea if we are doing it right or not. I have done so much research and studying I should feel more confident, but it is over a dozen lives I'm dealing with so I'm nervous.

We were planning a camping trip this weekend (the hatch should be Saturday) and forgot to figure in the hatch. My husband said We can't go camping this weekend we will be in labor. He is just as excited as I am!

Oh I'm so excited for you!!! I can't wait to hear about this!! Hope I'm not bugging you! I'm so nervous but excited. I think developement for these eggs have stopped
I'm pretty sure I see a blood ring. But it's hard because I honestly have no idea what I'm looking at. But now I've entered this whole world of incubating and ducklings and I just ordered my first ever 8 pekin duck eggs!!! I'm already so invested and in love! But I heard shipped eggs don't really hatch

 

[ChickenMomma19]

Not a bother at all!! I love sharing! I need the help too so if I can help you at the same time it would be great! I found a good picture of egg development, I will try to find it again. I'm not to sure about that, I never would have thought to hatch my own if I didn't have them already laying in my backyard!

 

[mammaofmiracles]

Are you looking into lockdown tomorrow? Ahhh I'm nervous and excited for you!! Any update on them? Did you candle them at all today?

 

[ChickenMomma19]

We usually candle them at night. I went to do my midday flip and WE HAD A PIP!! I'm so excited! So now I don't know if I should start the lockdown today or tomorrow. Ahhh. The peeping is louder and there Ian a pip but only in one! Any suggestions? Should I still candle tonight, or start lockdown now? Yay!! Thank you!!