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

[Brickman House]

DAY 18- 24: Well, had a great week away, and the incubator performed perfectly. The farm sitter checked on it regularly, and it held temperature at 99.5 F and 55% humidity the entire time we were gone. My gallon jug set up worked fine (there was only maybe an inch of water gone from the jug). Assuming all goes well from here on out, I will definitely be able to testify to this incubator's "set it and forget it" billing. We set it, forgot it, and left it!

Lockdown's tomorrow, so sometime tomorrow we'll candle the eggs to make sure they're all still growing, and take out the racks that came with the incubator in favor of egg cartons. Unplug the turner, bump the humidity to 70%, and Just. Wait.

Exciting few days ahead!

 

[Brickman House]

DAY 25-27: Locked down on the evening of Day 25. Unplugged the turner, put the eggs in cartons, and bumped the humidity to 73%. The humidity's been trending a bit lower than I've set it for the entire incubation, so I figured setting it at 73% would keep it around 70%.

When I came down this morning, though, it was at 65%, so maybe I set it wrong. I bumped it up manually with the water pump, but I'll have to take a look at it tonight.

We candled all the eggs one last time prior to lockdown, and at least to my untrained eye, they all looked the same, and like they should:

Hatch day should be tomorrow, but thus far, nothing's happening-- no noise, no pips. This incubation's gone very well, so I'm hoping the hatch will, too-- it'd be awful if we made it this far and nothing hatched!

Oh well. . . nothing to do but sit on our hands and wait!

 

[janastasio]

Good luck, its so exciting! Remind me what kind of eggs you have in?

 

[leeandtina]

when your hatch is done would you mind taking a picture of the inside of your pump? where the tube goes into the little machine, across the thingy in the middle of it, and out the other side of the pump machine. we just got this and i am going crazy trying to figure out how to get the tube to just lay there and close it, tighten the little screws and expect that there is something that will hold the tube in place through the pump machine. i don't know if anyone knows what i am talking about and the directions for putting this thing together isn't so great at places. my dh looked at it and said it almost looks like there should be a little bar on each side, going in and the coming out that would hold it. soooo i must be doing this wrong. i figured someone that had one set up might not mind taking a pic of the inside of their pump close up after their hatch was done purty please i just can't figure it out and please let us know as soon as something starts pipping in there

 

[poultrypatch]

I bought a Suro and don't think much of the instructions .
LeeandTina..DH had problems with that too. I don't know how he finally got it. Will see if he can expalin to me.
I can't get the temp to go up or the humidity. Hum is at 27 % after abt 2 hrs. Temp says 5. As my eggs keep getting older I'm getting more exasperated.
No registration card or ??? with it ??
How have U folks been getting the temp to rise ?
Liz
Rochester, MA

 

[Brickman House]

Janastasio,

We have Pekin crosses incubating now. We have a backyard flock of 1 Pekin Drake, and Cayuga, Pekin, Rouen and Blue Swedish hens. So they'll be mutt ducks, but I'm sure they'll be cute, nonetheless! I'm actually getting some Buff Orpington eggs next week, so this was the test hatch in the incubator.


LeeandTina,

That was the most confusing part of the assembly, and the directions aren't great, you're right! You should have two white plastic crosses, with one set of hollow arms. You cut the tube to the length specified in the directions, and stick one of the hollow arms of each cross in each end of the tube. So then you have a short length of tube with an X on each end. Now take your long lengths of tube, and put them over the other hollow arm of the X. So now you have long tube- x - short tube - x - long tube. There are two white plastic brackets on either side of the wheel in the pump. The short length of tube stretches across the wheel, and the solid arms of the X hook under the brackets. Put the cover back on, and attach the long lengths of tubing to the incubator and into your water bottle. Done! Hope that explanation helps.


PoultryPatch,

Have you set the temperature and humidity where you want it? There's a diagram in the instructions that shows you how to do it. Once you've set it, the incubator should heat and pump water automatically. If it's not doing that, you may have gotten a defective one. Sorry!

 

[Sweetfolly]

I haven't stopped by in awhile, but I wanted to let you know it's Day 27 and my 4 duck eggs in the Brinsea Octagon 20 Eco are hatching! I have 1 hatched, 1 starting to zip, 1 pip, and 1 that hasn't done anything yet - but the official hatch date isn't until tomorrow.

I hope to see pictures of your little ones soon, Brickman House!

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

you have to post moreeee pics!!! lol

 

[Brickman House]

DAY 27 UPDATE: Just got home to four pips, and a rocking egg! Looks like our hatch is under way!

 

[heatherousley]

Quote:
Sending Happy Hatch vibes your way!