Help! Incubating CALL DUCKS - need tips

[missmary49]

Hi, I just just purchased a batch of call duck eggs today and the little incubator is warming up.. However I see so many things on the internet I am so confused!! 28 days and 26??? Humidity at 86 or 50/66??

Whats correct?? Im new to hatching these little ducks and could use all the help out there from your experiences before I get started.
Thanks
Mary

 

[countrychics]

google it, when in doubt i go by the posts on college websites that specialize in hatching, like the one in texas, virginia tech.. etc..also, you may call a hatchery that will tell u... and my local extension office gives freat info.. on our first incubated emu, i printed5 to 10 instruction sets, and sort of went in the middle... baby emu hatched perfectly on day 50.. whew... ! but go on ebay as well, ask the sellers of the eggs there... and you really may want to post this thread again in the ducks section.. as more duck specialist hang out there... goodluck, i'm sure you'll be perfect!!!!

dana

 

[Bantymama]

I tried to hatch call eggs once. I kept my temp 99.9 and humidity at 55%. I did not use a egg turner, i turned them 4 times a day by hand. On day 23 i upped the humidity to 75 and had 2 out of 8 hatch. They hatched on day 26. They take a long time from pip to hatch i think it was about 24 to 28 hours. Hopefully some one with more experience will chime in with more info.

 

[LALADY1101]

I've heard that call ducks are VERY hard to hatch even under the best of conditions. From what I can understand, their bills are very small which makes it hard for them to pip. I'm to scared to try......good luck and keep us posted on your results. Those are the cutest ducks!!! I have a pair of snowy calls.

 

[countrychics]

THERE IS A GIRL IN TEXAS THAT SELLS THESE AND HAS LOTS...GO TO EBAY, LOOK UNDER CXALL DUCK EGGS, YOULL SEE HER. SHE HAS SEVERAL AUCTIONS. EMAIL HER AND TELL HER DANA FROM COUNTRY CHICS HATCHERY IN VA. THAT IS ALSO AN EBAY SELLER SUGGESTED HER ADVICE TO YOU... SHE'LL HELP, MAY EVEN HAVE IT ON HER LISTING, CANT REMEMBER.. BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[onthespot]

can you hatch them under a silkie?

 

[Katy]

Call duck eggs are hard to hatch. I gave up trying a long time ago and let my duck hens hatch them. Mine always start hatching on day 26.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
No need to shout.

 

[call ducks]

i tried last year , only hatched 4 and only 1 of those hathed by it's self , if the ducks set and hatch them they often have a lot better hatch rate if the ducks hatch them. Good luck

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Mine hatch on day 26. Move them to the hatcher and or stop turning on day 26. Starting the first week I cool the eggs for about 10 min per day and mist them during that cool down period. Ever since I started cooling and misting my hatch rates went right up. Humidity should be around 45-50% during the first 23 days. Then bump it up to about 80% the last 3 days. I use a brinsea incubator, where the whole incubator turns, (it sits on a cradle). If you are using a hovabator type incubator, hand turn them and do not use that plastic yellow turner.