Help needed for newbie

[Ria]

Just replied on your other thread too. If they are hatching that late, then usually that is an indication of the incubator not being warm enough. what kind of incubator are you using, and do you have an independent and verified accurate thermometer?

No it has a temperature setting on the top i have set it to what the instructions say maybe I should get a thermometer and put it inside the incubator?

 

[Ria]

Incubator

 

[Ria]

Too cold I think....I use heat lamps....

Where do I get a heat lamp does it need to be a certain temp

 

[Birdinhand]

this is not a heat lamp issue, this is an incubator temp problem most likely, IMHO. I would recommend getting several thermometers, I use three. I would never trust an incubator's temp setting without cross checking against a reliable thermometer.

 

[Ria]

this is not a heat lamp issue, this is an incubator temp problem most likely, IMHO. I would recommend getting several thermometers, I use three. I would never trust an incubator's temp setting without cross checking against a reliable thermometer.

Do you Think that's why they are only surviving for a few days because of the incubator?

 

[WVduckchick]

I would definitely advise another thermometer. Like a reptile kind, are supposed to be very accurate. Or a medical mercury one. Hatching late is a sign that the temps were too low. Incubators are notoriously wrong out of the box, so I'd say yours is a degree or two off. They are still developing and hatching, just not healthy.

Also, did you say how long your girl has been laying? And how are you storing the eggs before putting them in the incubator?

 

[Birdinhand]

Do you Think that's why they are only surviving for a few days because of the incubator?

the various tissue compartments can grow out of synch if the temp is close enough for life but not close enough for healthy development.

 

[Ria]

I would definitely advise another thermometer. Like a reptile kind, are supposed to be very accurate. Or a medical mercury one. Hatching late is a sign that the temps were too low. Incubators are notoriously wrong out of the box, so I'd say yours is a degree or two off. They are still developing and hatching, just not healthy.

Also, did you say how long your girl has been laying? And how are you storing the eggs before putting them in the incubator?

The girl has been laying since June time this year
I collected the eggs and left them 24 hours before incubating them left them in my outhouse not too cold and not too warm

I have ordered a thermometer and a heat lamp today hopefully the next ones that hatch will make it

 

[WVduckchick]

The girl has been laying since June time this year
I collected the eggs and left them 24 hours before incubating them left them in my outhouse not too cold and not too warm

I have ordered a thermometer and a heat lamp today hopefully the next ones that hatch will make it

So are you adding eggs before others are done? If so, and you are incubating while others are hatching, the humidity control could be the issue. What are you keeping humidity at? First 25 days should be much lower humidity than the last 3 days. Staggered hatches can be difficult to manage with just one incubator.

 

[Ria]

Hi guys so I resourced new equipment for my baby ducks and so far so good I have 3 healthy ducklings
I have a fourth duckling that unfortunately has what looks like club foot hes eating amd drinking and manages to get arround a little but can't keep up with the other ducklings
I have read online about making shoes ECT what can I Do?