hatching duck eggs?

[Loretta212]

so i have hatched chickens twice. this past weekend (jan 1st) my husband was helping a friend butcher some pigs and he gave me 15 duck eggs!!! well 2 didnt make the trip home they cracked (my husband put them in nothing but a plastic bag) so i have 13 left. can anyone give me some incubation tips? i know its a little different hatching them and I like to get advice from all of you thank you

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I use a good Banny hen. I leave the rest up to her. It works better than an incubator. Actually, she is an incubator

 

[Rosecomb-Ryan]

Ok heres how I do it....

I only use still air hovabators/srtyafoams. (I have a cabinent Incubator, but they are horrible for me when hatching waterfowl)

I hand turn the eggs 2-3 times daily until the last 3-4 days.

I mist them with a spray bottle once a day.

For the bottom water trays I keep them all full at all times.

Ryan

 

[Loretta212]

i wish i had a broody hen lol but i only have in incubator thankd for the tips i did not know about the misting!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Basically its the same of incubating chickens except for the longer incubation period and the need for higher humidity.

Do you know what kind of duck eggs they were??

Most duck eggs need 28 days incubation- but muscovies take an extra week.

I keep my humidity around 55% for the first 25 days the up to about 80 %for hatching. Some people do find it varies slighty between machines and climate where you live as to how hight the humidity need to be so watching the air cells for size is also a good way of judging how much humidity is needed.

Best of luck with your eggs. Hope thirteen is a lucky number for you!!

 

[Loretta212]

they are pekin ducks i cant wait to candle them i read day 7 is best to look and see if anything is going on

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Heres what I did with mine:


Temp: 98.5 (99 on lockdown)
Humidity: 60% (75% on lockdown)
I use a turner, never had luck hand turning, but when I did I hand turned 3 times a day. (stop on day 25)
candled on day 7 and then every three days till day 25 (lockdown)
Sprayed twice a day

AND WHATEVER YOU DO DONT OPEN THE BATOR WHEN IN LOCKDOWN!!

I use a hova bator and have had a few good hatches. Tried the first time with khaki campbell eggs (6) and one came rotten!

and all the rest were duds. (these were shipped eggs) I tried again with my own ducks, and hatched five babies, one died sadly. Tried again with BBS lavender orp eggs, and got 7 out of 13, some died though. Only have 4 chicks

(one actually passed today)

Hope your hatch goes well!