Hatching duck eggs???

[WindyOaksYokes]

I was just wondering if hatching duck eggs was similar to hatching chicken eggs. Also could I use the same home made incubator?
Wanted to ask before saying anything to DH... he wants a few more duckies running around the farm... but wanted to know what I was getting into before I attempted to surprise him.
Any help or advice would be appreciated...
Thanks.... Tes

 

[rufus]

Ducks take an extra week. You have to keep them a little damp. Years ago when electric skillets first came out, someone gave one to my mother. It was made out of aluminum, and she had a fear of cooking with it. She gave it to us kids and we used it to hatch duck eggs. They hatched in spite us.

Rufus

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

How do I keep them damp? and do I use the incubator since I dont have an electric skillet... your really going to have to tell me that story sometime...

Tes

 

[silkiechicken]

Just add more surface area of the water int the incubator. For example hang a cloth down one side so it wicks up the water and increases the humidity. Good luck!

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

Incubation of duck eggs is not all that difficult and can be very rewarding, but it is important that you use an accurate egg incubator and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.


Following are general conditions recommended for hatching eggs & egg incubators:
Incubation Period Hatching Period
Days 1 through 25 Days 26 through 28
Temperature 99.5° Farenheit 98.5° Farenheit
Humidity 86% 94%
Turns Per Day 3, 5, or 7 Stop Turning

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Chicken - Thank you for the information... Do you have ducks yourself??? I would like to ask a few more questions if I could...

Thanks
Tes

 

[kstaven]

Ask your questions. There are a number of us on here that breed and hatch ducks.

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Okay, I will take you up on that... first I will tell you what I have...
1 blue swedish drake; 1 kahki campbell drake; 1 black crested swedish (have no clue if duck or drake); and 2 cayuga females. All are 17 weeks

Questions:
1. When do they start laying?
2. Should I leave eggs in nest or try to incubate?
3. Want to order more Kahki's how will the older ones except them
4. Should I buy day olds or eggs?
5. Can I use a home made bator such as one that is used for chick eggs
6. Where will the females lay? they usually go down to the creek but lately they have been hanging out at home... we have no clue why and when we try to walk them to the creek they will not go.. they run scattered back to the house.
7. When do they go broody?
I have tried searching for all of this infomation with no sucess... I have read others threads so have learned a little more... but I am just so confused.
Thanks kstaven I would appreciate any info you can give me.
Tes

 

[Katy]

Since no one else has answered you yet, I'll try and answer some of your questions. I only have call ducks so those are the kind I know about.

If the swedish is also a drake, you really need to either get rid of a couple of your drakes or get more females. Males get very hard on female ducks when the females are out numbered. I wouldn't have more than one drake per 5 or 6 females.

If you get more Khakis as ducklings you should keep them seperated until they are the same size as the older ones, unless you are willing to risk them being hurt or more likely killed.

I think some egg-laying breeds like campbells start laying sooner than my calls which as a rule don't start laying until the spring following their hatch. A lot of ducks are not good mothers...either not going broody at all or leaving the nest before they've set long enough to hatch the eggs.

You can use any incubator to hatch duck eggs altho the humidity levels usually need to be higher for duck eggs. Duck eggs also need to incubate for a longer time.

Unless you keep them penned they'll hide their eggs in what they feel is a good hiding place.

 

[kstaven]

1. Campbell based breeds that hatch in the early spring can start to lay by the fall.

2. If mom is broody and you can separate them from the drake then let her do it. If not I would use an incubator.

3. New ducks need to be about 7 weeks old before introducing. If there is a large size difference they will likely be abused.

4. With some breeds you can tell male from female at a day old so if you don't want a bunch of drakes then go for sexed chicks. Too many drakes is asking for trouble.

5. YES!!! You just need more water surface area. Humidity needs to be 75% for most of the cycle.

6. Ducks love moist sandy soil to lay eggs in. Sounds like you had a predator down by the creek.

7. Most of my ducks go broody spring and early fall. Rare during hot summers.

28 - 30 days to incubate duck eggs. Same temperature as chicken eggs.