hatching chickens and ducks in a bator...

[sunket77]

maybe I can get some help on this section!

I tried to hatch chicks and sucks together in my bator, the ducks didn't make it past to day 14 in development. I have an LG still air with a turner. I attempted a "dry" hatch which I have read some on here have had success. The breeder I got the pair of calls from says he only uses broody hens...I am not having any luck with getting a hen to go broody! Including my silkie! I don't want the season to go by and not have any ducklings!! I would like to try to put them in the bator again, but again I have chicken eggs in there since I am trying to hatch as many japanese and nankins as possible (I only have one pair of each of those as well!) only got 2 japs out of the last hatch, any sage advice on the best way to do this would be awesome!

anything as far as humidity and temp ...someone else suggested putting a wet cloth around the duck eggs (not quite sure how to do that with a turner!) please ehlp I want some baby duckies!!!

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have found I have better hatches when my ducks eggs are laying down in the incubator and turned by hand. I also spray them with a fine mist of water every few days.

 

[sunket77]

are ducks the same as chickens and need to be turned 3 times a day? what should I put the humidity at? or just mist the duck eggs? what do you use to mist them with and what temp should the water be to mist with? ...sorry about alll the questions!! I just really want to give them the best possible chance to hatch, the breeding pair is my daughters and she is really looking forward to having some ducklings!! thanks!!!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Yes Duck eggs need turning as well just like chicken eggs. I generally turn mine three times a day for the first two weeks and then for the remeinder of time turn them twice. I fill a spray bottle with hot water...squirt it a few times to get the warmer water coming out then spray the eggs. By the time the droplets have treached the eggs- they are cooler than the temp of the water in the bottle.
Most people have humidity around 50% until lockdown when it is increased to about 70%.. I did have a hyrometer for a few hatches- But I have misplaced it- and just go by the look of the size of the air cell now that I have a bit of experience with incubating. I follow the instructions given with the incubator as to which water trays to fill when- and find that without over complicating things I get good hatches. Last eggs 6 Pekin ducks- 99.9 temp, Turned and misted - all 6 hatched.

Good luck with those eggs- and I hope you get some babies to add to your daughters breeding pair.

 

[sunket77]

thanks! now I have to move some things around hopefully I wont disturb the chicken eggs to much but I am only on day 3 with them so it shouldn't be to bad .... I need another bator to use as a hatcher! I wish I had thought this through better, I woud have set the duck eggs a week before the chicken eggs! Thanks so much for responding! I am going to give it another go, it's that or throw these eggs I have saved away. I need to check is 50% to high for chicken eggs...hhmmm... don't remember!