Hatching Duckling for Newbies!

[ksmith454]

Hi all!
I am hatching my first batch of duck eggs. I collected them daily over the period of about a week. I have welsh harlequins and one white layer duck. I put 8 eggs in the incubator on 4/27/22. I candled them today and it looks like only 1 is showing signs of growth - UGH. I feel a bit frustrated. I have my humidity between 55%-60% and temp at 99.5F. I have been rotating them approx 5 times a day. Should I throw out the 7 eggs that are not showing any signs of life? As you can see, the huge difference between the 1 fertile egg and the others that are not. I have a second incubator and set up some more eggs to hopefully hatch but they are too early to candle to see any progress. The only thing I can think of is that the temp got too cold at night when I was storing them. I would say at the lowest, they may have gotten to 55F, because I stored them in my garage.

 

[SilverBirds]

Don't throw them out until day 14, just to be sure.

 

[ksmith454]

Don't throw them out until day 14, just to be sure.

Ok great thank you! Is there a chance that they could show signs of growth by then?

 

[SilverBirds]

Ok great thank you! Is there a chance that they could show signs of growth by then?

There is the slightest, but I mean slightest chance they might be. Considering you can see so much development in the last and none in the others make me think they aren't fertile. Maybe set some more eggs incase they aren't?

 

[ksmith454]

There is the slightest, but I mean slightest chance they might be. Considering you can see so much development in the last and none in the others make me think they aren't fertile. Maybe set some more eggs incase they aren't?

Yes I do have about 8 more than I started in another incubator so I have more for that one duckling

 

[citymeetscountry]

I would also lower your humidity a tad if possible. I’d say wait a few more days but I agree it looks as though the others aren’t developing (possibly not fertile)

 

[ksmith454]

I would also lower your humidity a tad if possible. I’d say wait a few more days but I agree it looks as though the others aren’t developing (possibly not fertile)

What humidity should I be shooting for? Everywhere I read said 55-60% for ducks

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Hi all!
I am hatching my first batch of duck eggs. I collected them daily over the period of about a week. I have welsh harlequins and one white layer duck. I put 8 eggs in the incubator on 4/27/22. I candled them today and it looks like only 1 is showing signs of growth - UGH. I feel a bit frustrated. I have my humidity between 55%-60% and temp at 99.5F. I have been rotating them approx 5 times a day. Should I throw out the 7 eggs that are not showing any signs of life? As you can see, the huge difference between the 1 fertile egg and the others that are not. I have a second incubator and set up some more eggs to hopefully hatch but they are too early to candle to see any progress. The only thing I can think of is that the temp got too cold at night when I was storing them. I would say at the lowest, they may have gotten to 55F, because I stored them in my garage.

Welcome to hatching
How old are the mom and drake ducks?
Humidity depends on where you live
If you live where it’s very humid many run lower if it’s really dry many run higher but I shoot for 45-50 days 1-24 then day 25 up to 65-70 for hatch
To high can cause issues and to low can cause issues but that would not be why your eggs are not developed
They just look infertile
The one that is going looks great
A good way to figure out if humidity is right is watching the air cell growth
I weigh my eggs start to finish and usually loose about 14% weight
So far that’s worked for me and those I have helped to hatch
Hopefully you get some good fertile eggs on your second batch so baby won’t be alone

 

[citymeetscountry]

@New duck mommy 2021 gave good advice.

I kept mine around 45-55% the first 25 days (actually less bc mine started moving early but they still hatched right on day 28) and then bumped it 60-70% with lockdown.

 

[ksmith454]

Welcome to hatching
How old are the mom and drake ducks?
Humidity depends on where you live
If you live where it’s very humid many run lower if it’s really dry many run higher but I shoot for 45-50 days 1-24 then day 25 up to 65-70 for hatch
To high can cause issues and to low can cause issues but that would not be why your eggs are not developed
They just look infertile
The one that is going looks great
A good way to figure out if humidity is right is watching the air cell growth
I weigh my eggs start to finish and usually loose about 14% weight
So far that’s worked for me and those I have helped to hatch
Hopefully you get some good fertile eggs on your second batch so baby won’t be alone

I’m not sure how old my ducks are sadly… I bought them as adults so I’m not too sure. Sadly the only 1 egg that was fertile is not dead… it’s showing a large blood ring. The other eggs that I have are in the Janoel12 incubator and I don’t exactly like it because I cannot monitor humidity all that well. Do you think it would be detrimental to transfer them to my other incubator (Kebonnixs)? Since I am able to monitor this one better? The kebonnixs is however the one that my other eggs didn’t develop in.