Hovabator help?!

[Morri]

ok so here my question..... i got a hovabator 1586 picture window model and hatched a few chicks about 6 months ago. I havnt used it since however.

Now my friend has a small duck that created a nest of eggs over the last 2 days but she layed them in the garden, now because we have foxes here she tried to move the mother and the nest into the duck pen but the mother has now abandoned the eggs.

So im not sure whats going to happen but i offered she could put the eggs in my incubator as whats the harm in trying right?

So im getting the temp to 37.5, but i am having trouble with the humidity..... I cant remember how many trays your supposed to fill to get the humidity up to 55%??

I shall get a humidity gage thingy tonight from the harware store after work but until then..... how many trays should i fill?

Thanks a heap

any help greatly appreciated!

 

[katharinad]

55% is what you need and it should be the center only of the tray. For lock down you will have to fill the 2nd one or all depending on your humidity out side. I live in a dry climate and have to fill all the little tray holes, even in the corner. The eggs will need to get misted once per day with warm water, and they need to be turned at least 3 times per day 180 degrees.

 

[FenDruadin]

Don't worry too much about the humidity until you get the hygrometer--a few days at the wrong humidity won't harm them, assuming they're not too far along. How many days have they been incubating?

They're very similar to chicken eggs, but incubate for 28 days (for mallard derivatives, which is most ducks) or 35 days (for muscovies). Temps are the same... humidity is frequently debated but I successfully run it the same, but higher during the last few days. Turning is the same. Watch the air cells and aim for 30% of the egg full of air by the third-to-last day. If you don't know how long they've been incubating, you should be able to tell by candling, at least within a few days. Post pics for help!

Good luck!

 

[katharinad]

I say pump up the humidity the moment you see the eggs moving and stop turning at that time.

 

[FenDruadin]

What katherinad said. That makes more sense than messing with hatch dates if you're not sure...

On the other hand, for best success, you really might want to monitor those air cells, and that's hard to do if you don't know how far along they are. The humidity necessary for successful hatching varies greatly based on a LOT of factors, and you won't know if they're losing the right amount of moisture without measuring the air cell. I have to run mine without ANY water in the trays until lockdown in order to get adequately sized air cells. I live in a humid area at sea level and rarely run my AC. In a different situation, the eggs will lose more moisture and need more humidity.

But even if you can't effectively monitor the air cells, you're giving them a pretty good chance just by having them in your incubator and doing the best you can. Good luck!!!

 

[katharinad]

That's why I mist my eggs daily to draw out extra moisture. So far I've always had large air cells. I agree on monitoring them. I live in a dry climate with only 20% humidity and that has a huge factor on my incubator. It just draws out the moisture, even if it runs at 55%. I have to add water daily that's how fast it gets drawn out of the machine.

 

[FenDruadin]

Oh yeah--the misting draws out moisture too--you're quite right. I'm planning to experiment next year with misting & humidity to see if I get different hatch rates. It sounds like we're in pretty thorough agreement.

 

[Morri]

Hey guys thanks alot for you help!... i currently only have the middle tray filled... i just got the urgent delivery of the eggs lol and there was 17! She only found the broody duck yesturday tho.... so im assuming some eggs re atleast 2 weeks old so im doubting they will hatch as the mother was only let out in the day and thats when she sat on the eggs then she returned to her pen at night...... i know theres little hope but you hear of all these miracle hatches so im hoping maybe the newest eggs may have a fighting chance

 

[Morri]

oh and i live in australia so we have just started spring but it is fairly mild by weather and is fairly dry too if that makes any differnece

with a probably average day of say 15 degrees celcius...

 

[duckyfromoz]

Morri...I will bring you some more eggs tomorrow as well...Sneak them in and your parents wont have to know.

also can give you a few bits I wont be using for my hovas anymore since I just got my new bator.