HELP!!! I'm so Confused on hatching these duck eggs!!!

[SeasideDuckMan]

Ok, so my 6 month old ducks (crested Magpie, Runner, Buff, Crested Cayuga, Cayuga, and pekin) started laying eggs recently.
I have a Hova Bator Model 1602N with Self Turner. So far, I have 8 eggs in the incubator but what i noticed is that when i put them in the turner, the embryos/yolks float to the top under the air cell! So i took then out of the tuner and put them on the wire rack and now they are in "Normal" possition and i can see the embryos moving, etc... Should i put them back in the turner, or just turn them by hand..? Also, the air cells on 3 of the eggs are very small and not perfectly circular. Is this bad? There are developing embryos but I an nervous that when they start to pip, that they won't have air to get in the air cell!

My 3 females (Buff, Cayuga, and Runner) are all laying very different eggs. I have eggs in the incubator that range from the size of a extra large chicken egg, to a super small egg (i could fit like 3 of them inside a big egg). My Runner has always been kinda small... she doesn't have the wine bottle appearance, and is only about 16 inches tall. think she might be a "runt", an may be putting out these super small eggs, but from what i hear, runners are "Great layers and lay HUGE eggs". I just don't know what eggs are coming from what ducks, who the fathers are, etc.

I am in an odd position because these ducks were part of my science fair project (I won the science fair,...just saying..lol) an then i released them into the lake across the street. the thing with my town is that it is 6 blocks by 6 blocks and everyone minds there own bussiness. so i maintain a very intimate relationship with them. So, everyday i go over and collect their eggs but i can never seem to find a normal egg! Anyways, what im trying to say i need advice and tips and anything that will help me hatch out my "Grandducks" will be very much appreciated.

THANKS!

 

[mnferalkitty]

I hatch ducks in my hova bator with a turner and have a great hatch rate. Here is how I hatch my eggs
I fill my water tray when I set them in auto turner
I candle around day 10 or 12 refill water tray
I candle and take out of turner day 24 refill water tray and leave them alone
I have never measured my humidity so I do not know what it is
I read somewhere you should mist duck eggs and the one time I tried that I had miserable hatch rate so I have never done it again.
One thing that threw me for loop when I first started hatching duck eggs is they pip then make a hole in egg and work on that hole to zip and sometimes it can take 2-3 days!!
How I bump up humidity in bator is this way
1. At lockdown I make sure water tray in bator is full
2. place 4 thick long sanitary napkins soaked in water in bator on the wire 3 folded in half in 3 of the corners and the other soaked in water kept long and placed on the wire floor underneath where the air holes are that way I can add water with a big syringe that fish aquarium tubing attached to end of syringe so I can add water to sanitary napkin if needed.
3. I try to place eggs so they are not resting on the wet sanitary pads.

 

[SeasideDuckMan]

I'm gonna have to try this...Thanks so much!

As you saw in my post, I have 2 crested drakes, and my buff hen is actually partially crested, so i am working with lethal genes here. This could go great, or this could be a total disaster. Thanks again for the tips!