hatching duck eggs?

[GoodEgg]

I have a question I hope someone can answer. I'm going to post it also under "other poultry" ... I hope that's ok.

I have a schoolteacher who wants to get some fertile duck eggs from me to incubate for her class. (I've already talked to her about arrangements for the hatchlings and for the rest of their lives.)

She has a small incubator, apparently, and can only incubate 3 eggs. My ducks and drakes are all about a year old, and have been breeding for over 6 months. I do hope she isn't disappointed though ... I've never incubated any so I don't know what hatch rate she can expect from 3 eggs.

My question is this: I don't know if anyone else's ducks do this, but mine get their eggs filthy. I don't generally wash them unless I am putting them into the fridge or unless I am going to sell them for eating eggs. I do wash them before I cook with them.

But I wonder if I should wash them before I give them to her, or leave them so dirty? (I'm talking really dirty here, they lay them in the coop and them kick them around in poo I think.) I'm a little embarrassed to do so if other people's ducks don't do this?

But more than anything I want her to have as good a chance as possible to hatch them. What do you all think, or can anyone tell me what I should do?

Thanks!

trish

 

[silkiechicken]

I don't know about duck eggs at all... but I do worry about that mini dome bator I am imagining in my head... they don't do the best at regulating temps, especially if heat is off in the class room at night or on weekends. I do wish them the best of luck and hope someone with duck experience can answer your question.

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks silkie,

I get the impression she has done this before. She said it's a digital incubator? I know NOTHING of incubators though. The one time I tried (as a kid) I used a lamp and turned the eggs by hand and dampened them. Nothing hatched.

I just hope she knows what to expect, and I hope it works out well for them. I didn't know she was going to incubate only 3 when we first talked about it. I worry about what will happen if all 3 don't hatch ... that's too small a group to be together without other ducks too, I think. I have 4 and they move as a unit. Nobody likes to be alone. I'm worrying more now.

trish

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

3? sounds like the rcom. so far this is what I have been doing with my duck eggs in the bator.

Temp: 99.5F
humidity: 59%-63%
turns per day: autoturner
misting eggs: after day 7. Twice a day
days to hatch: 28 days

I have 8 days left so I will tell you what I get. and maybe this can be applied to those duck eggs.

 

[pax12]

i am hatching ducks to i cant wait for them to hatch

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

pax,

your duck eggs are going to hatch after my moms bday lol.

7 days left. No explosions. fertile or unfertile.. you be the judge