Hatching Duck Eggs in a Suro: Day 31 and WRAP-UP

[stumble_n_mumble]

still pipping as of this morning!!!

the broody hen is being horrible! the egg is rocking yet she still got off the nest to eat poop and drink... isn't that a bad sign of a bad mom!!

 

[Brickman House]

DAYS 31 and 32: Well, the hatch is finally over!

Yesterday was Day 31, and it was an interesting one. We still had three eggs left, two had pipped, but beyond that, nothing was happening. The temperature and humidity had been so solid during the entire incubation, and the other ducklings had hatched out so clean and so healthy, we weren't holding out much hope for the rest.

So I decided to candle and tap on the last three eggs, to see if there was any hope. The first two, I saw no movement and heard nothing. I opened them to find two developed ducks, but they never pipped the air cell and hatched. Don't know why, but as successful as this hatch has been, I can't really complain.

I saw no movement in the third egg, which had pipped two days ago, but when I tapped on it, it cheeped at me. I about dropped it in surprise! I figured it was probably time for a little help, so I carefully peeled back the shell to find a beak breathing at me, but also blood. . . things didn't look good. But I put it back in the incubator, thinking it couldn't hurt, and I'd at least give it a chance.

Miracle of miracles, I woke up this morning to a hatched and dry duckling in the incubator. I was blown away! The little one is clearly a Pekin x Rouen cross (the only one that hatched, so that probably tells me something), and she's very tiny, but very cute! She's holding her own in the bathtub with the rest of the marauding brood, so she may just make it.

We're happy to have her, and we're pulling for her, but we also recognize that her hatch was less than ideal. If we keep her, we'll tag her as non-breeding stock and won't collect hatching eggs from her, or we'll try to find her a home as a 4-H pet, if we can.


With the last little (improbable) survivor out, our hatch is complete, and we're very pleased with our ducks who laid us such healthy eggs, and the King Suro incubator! We set 18 and tossed one clear at Day Seven. Out of the remaining 17, 14 hatched perfectly clean, healthy and robust. The 15th duckling hatched late and with help, but she's doing well. All in all, we consider the hatch a success!

 

[Brickman House]

WRAP-UP: After the last little duckling hatched, it was time for clean up!

The Suro was surprisingly easy to clean. I hatched in egg cartons, so most of the mess was just taken out and thrown away. I washed the base and the grey inner tray with hot, soapy water, spritzed with bleach and water, and set aside to dry. They were easy!

In hindsight, I should have taken the black foam pad that cushions the eggs during incubation out at lockdown, and substituted a paper towel, or rubber shelf liner, because that thing was a mess (even with the egg cartons)!

I filled a bowl with hot water and soap, and dropped it in the bowl, along with the humidity sponge in to soak. With a lot of mushing and rolling in the soap and hot water, I got the vast majority of the hatching fluff and mess out, I think. A spritz with bleach and water, and they were set aside to dry as well. Next time, though, I'm hitting the Dollar Store for some shelf liner!

The electronic unit on top separates from the plastic incubator dome with the undoing of two easy screws, so I did the same soap and hot water, followed by bleach water spritz, treatment on the top dome.

All I did for the electronic unit was to take a dry paper towel, and wipe out any hatching fluff and schmutz.


We are picking up a set of hatching eggs on Monday that we're very excited about, so I thought I put the incubator back together once it was all dry, and give it a day or so to stabilize and run.

It's fine that I did, but it didn't need it-- it came back up to set temperature and humidity within hours. Oh well, that just means it's ready for our next batch a little early-- no harm!


Thanks for following along everyone-- Happy Hatching!