HIGH HUMIDITY WHILE INCUBATING DUCKLING EGGS

[Ongiegirl36]

This is my first time hatching and incubating duckling eggs and the humidity in Louisiana is super high already, but I have added water to the incubator because of the air cells. even the normal air cells look like they are the correct size for the embryo's age. What could go wrong from keeping the humidity at 70-75% the whole time? I am using a Janoel 24 incubator. I feel if I kept it lower the eggs would have dried out due to those huge air cells. I am incubating on 37.5 degrees Celsius. Eggs are not being rotated at this time. I am hand turning them due to them being in a carton to shrink the air cells or at least not have them get larger. 

 

[nuthatched]

Can you please post pictures of your air cells?

 

[Ongiegirl36]

Can you please post pictures of your air cells?

The air cells are circular at the top and then make their way down the side of the egg in a thinner "bubble". I read a post from years ago on here that putting them in a carton works well. Also, I read they tend to hatch normally. Praying that is accurate advice.

 

[IvysAnimals]

This is my first time hatching and incubating duckling eggs and the humidity in Louisiana is super high already, but I have added water to the incubator because of the air cells. even the normal air cells look like they are the correct size for the embryo's age. What could go wrong from keeping the humidity at 70-75% the whole time? I am using a Janoel 24 incubator. I feel if I kept it lower the eggs would have dried out due to those huge air cells. I am incubating on 37.5 degrees Celsius. Eggs are not being rotated at this time. I am hand turning them due to them being in a carton to shrink the air cells or at least not have them get larger. 

The air cells should really shrink or enlarge much, unless there's nothing developing. The air sack will get larger by a bit if there's a embryo inside. It will also start to shrink a little when they keep developing. The humidity should stay the same even if it's already humid where you live. The temperature should be between 99.3 and 99.6 degrees F or 37.5 C. The humidity should be about 50-60% which is about a 1 cup size. The humidity should increase in the last ( usually 3 ) days of incubation. What breed are you hatching? Usually duck take about 28 days but some, like Muscovys, take longer because they're closer related to geese and swans. HOWEVER! It might vary if the air cells are different sizes

 

[Ongiegirl36]

The air cells should really shrink or enlarge much, unless there's nothing developing. The air sack will get larger by a bit if there's a embryo inside. It will also start to shrink a little when they keep developing. The humidity should stay the same even if it's already humid where you live. The temperature should be between 99.3 and 99.6 degrees F or 37.5 C. The humidity should be about 50-60% which is about a 1 cup size. The humidity should increase in the last ( usually 3 ) days of incubation. What breed are you hatching? Usually duck take about 28 days but some, like Muscovys, take longer because they're closer related to geese and swans. HOWEVER! It might vary if the air cells are different sizes

The cells are different sizes because some of the are normal. The vast majority of them are enlarged and take up a good portion of the egg. The Ducks inside are moving and grooving. I candle them 1 time a day and my Khaki's will be hatching Monday and the others at a later date. The Muscovy I have is cooking and it has a messed-up Air Cell, but the duck appears to be growing fine. I have white layer ducks that seem fine even with the large air cell, and lastly, I have Malolards. those look normal in a couple and huge in the others. That is why I kept the humidity so high. It is 50% humidity in my house or more. I have to run dehumidifiers and empty them several times a day.

All of the ducks look fine. Is there a danger to incubating them up and down until I can get another egg carton and angle them at 45 degrees? Should I still lower the humidity at the risk of the cell getting larger? the normal eggs seem to have the correct sized AirCell for their age.

I have 2 incubators too. They can hold 24 eggs each and I have 12 or so in each. Nothing is overcrowded and I have been hand rotating for a few days now.

 

[BelovedBirds]

The air cells are circular at the top and then make their way down the side of the egg in a thinner "bubble". I read a post from years ago on here that putting them in a carton works well. Also, I read they tend to hatch normally. Praying that is accurate advice.

would you be able to show a photo?
The danger with high humidity is that when the duckling internal pips they could have fluid left in the egg and "drown"

But if the air cells grow enough, it should be fine. What day are they on?

 

[Ongiegirl36]

would you be able to show a photo?
The danger with high humidity is that when the duckling internal pips they could have fluid left in the egg and "drown"

But if the air cells grow enough, it should be fine. What day are they on?

PHOTOS ADDED. It's hard to do it at the same time as candling since the eggs are at 20 days now. Some are only at 14 days though.

What about keeping them up and down? the point is down and blunt side up. Is that dangerous for hatching and incubating?

 

[IvysAnimals]

I can try and take photos. It's hard to do it at the same time as candling since the eggs are at 20 days now. Some are only at 14 days though.

What about keeping them up and down? the point is down and blunt side up. Is that dangerous for hatching and incubating?

In incubation, you NEED to keep the pointy side DOWN in the egg turner ( if you have one ) and during the last few days of hatching, take the egg turner out and lay the eggs in the incubator on the side and don't touch them or open the lid in their last few days so they can prepare for hatching

 

[Ongiegirl36]

would you be able to show a photo?
The danger with high humidity is that when the duckling internal pips they could have fluid left in the egg and "drown"

But if the air cells grow enough, it should be fine. What day are they on?

ADDED PHOTOS TO MY OTHER REPLY

 

[Ongiegirl36]

In incubation, you NEED to keep the pointy side DOWN in the egg turner ( if you have one ) and during the last few days of hatching, take the egg turner out and lay the eggs in the incubator on the side and don't touch them or open the lid in their last few days so they can prepare for hatching

Thank you!! Mine were on their side in the incubator with the auto turner and it worked. I made sure that the eggs were in fact turning. Those air cells had me questioning what I could do to increase my hatch success rate.