Hatching Duck Egg Temp

[Ducks81]

Hi I have heard and read several different opinions on heat temperature and humidity for the lock down hatching for duck eggs. I am currently on day 27.5 and my is fluctuating between 98 and 100. Humidity between 70-80%. I would just like to hear your thoughts and experience on this matter. Thank you!

 

[AquaDuck]

Hi I have heard and read several different opinions on heat temperature and humidity for the lock down hatching for duck eggs. I am currently on day 27.5 and my is fluctuating between 98 and 100. Humidity between 70-80%. I would just like to hear your thoughts and experience on this matter. Thank you!

That's a pretty big temp fluctuation.

I incubate duck eggs at 99.5 F, and lower to 98.7 at hatch. Humidity as high as possible after they ext pip, around 80% I guess.

 

[Ducks81]

That's a pretty big temp fluctuation.

I incubate duck eggs at 99.5 F, and lower to 98.7 at hatch. Humidity as high as possible after they ext pip, around 80% I guess.

It mostly stays at 98.5-99 as it’s a homemade DIY incubator however they have done amazing throughout the entire incubation. It’s the lockdown that has been hard to maintain due to the humidity needing to be higher. They are at an average of about 75% humidity.
I did see that they both internally pipped and yesterday around 4-5pm I noticed one external pip. The other has not externally pipped yet.

 

[Ducks81]

It mostly stays at 98.5-99 as it’s a homemade DIY incubator however they have done amazing throughout the entire incubation. It’s the lockdown that has been hard to maintain due to the humidity needing to be higher. They are at an average of about 75% humidity.
I did see that they both internally pipped and yesterday around 4-5pm I noticed one external pip. The other has not externally pipped yet.

That's a pretty big temp fluctuation.

I incubate duck eggs at 99.5 F, and lower to 98.7 at hatch. Humidity as high as possible after they ext pip, around 80% I guess.

I have another question for you...i calibrated my digital humidity reader with the salt test. It’s said that it should read 75% after 12 hours. Mine was reading 69%...does that now mean if it says (for example) 70% the true reading is 76% or 64%?? I’m so confused with that for some reason...thanks!

 

[AquaDuck]

It mostly stays at 98.5-99 as it’s a homemade DIY incubator however they have done amazing throughout the entire incubation. It’s the lockdown that has been hard to maintain due to the humidity needing to be higher. They are at an average of about 75% humidity.
I did see that they both internally pipped and yesterday around 4-5pm I noticed one external pip. The other has not externally pipped yet.

Yeah, that can mess up the temp. My hatcher suffers from the same issue sometimes. Good that it's been fairly stable for the rest of the incubation. Generally speaking too high temp is worse than too low, so if you can keep it from getting all the way to 100 you'll be fine.

I have another question for you...i calibrated my digital humidity reader with the salt test. It’s said that it should read 75% after 12 hours. Mine was reading 69%...does that now mean if it says (for example) 70% the true reading is 76% or 64%?? I’m so confused with that for some reason...thanks!

I don't salt-test myself so I had to look it up. An article here says Your hygrometer should read 75%. If is off one way or another, just at the difference to your display when you read it and make adjustments to your humidity based on the new value. For instance, our hygrometer read 71% after 12 hours. I new that I needed to add 4% to the displayed number to know what the humidity truely was.
So in your example, 70% reading is 76% true humidity.

 

[Ducks81]

I have another question for you...i calibrated my digital humidity reader with the salt test. It’s said that it should read 75% after 12 hours. Mine was reading 69%...does that now mean if it says (for example) 70% the true reading is 76% or 64%?? I’m so confused with that for some reason...thanks!

Ok that’s exactly what I thought but I was questioning myself. What are your thoughts here. Does my ducks membrane look dry?? I have no idea what I am looking for as this is my first time and I just hear him peeping away and trying to get his little beak out...