How do yall hatch call duck eggs?

[ruffledfeathers1234]

I have five call ducks, two males and three females, and have had no luck getting their eggs to hatch. The eggs are fertile I just dont seem to be able to hatch them. My incubators have automatic turners, but would it be batter to hand turn? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have five call ducks, two males and three females, and have had no luck getting their eggs to hatch. The eggs are fertile I just dont seem to be able to hatch them. My incubators have automatic turners, but would it be batter to hand turn? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Lacrystol is our guru of call duck hatching actually she has been helping all breeds of ducks hatch lately but her expertise is Call ducks. . I sent her your link hopefully she'll be here soon to talk with you.

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

Lacrystol is our guru of call duck hatching actually she has been helping all breeds of ducks hatch lately but her expertise is Call ducks. . I sent her your link hopefully she'll be here soon to talk with you. 

Thank you very much Miss Lydia

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you very much Miss Lydia

While we wait maybe you'd enjoy this and also she has her website here too which will give you things to read and enjoy too.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/760871/call-ducks-finally-hatched

 

[sophieoneill]

Hey there, how old are your call ducks? If they are older than 3 years that may decrease the fertility and hatching rate...are your female call ducks just starting to lay and if so have they become broody yet? My call ducks make great brooders and raise all the ducklings themselves..maybe try natural incubation and let them sit?! I have also found that it difficult to hatch call duck eggs in incubators and my incubator also has an automatic turner..did you check the humidity levels and where abouts is your incubator placed..? Also how do you know the eggs are fertile? Have you candled them at different stages during incubation to see their development and at what stage did the embryo's usually die at? I can give you more advise once you've answered the above questions

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

Hey there, how old are your call ducks? If they are older than 3 years that may decrease the fertility and hatching rate...are your female call ducks just starting to lay and if so have they become broody yet? My call ducks make great brooders and raise all the ducklings themselves..maybe try natural incubation and let them sit?!  I have also found that it difficult to hatch call duck eggs in incubators and my incubator also has an automatic turner..did you check the humidity levels and where abouts is your incubator placed..? Also how do you know the eggs are fertile? Have you candled them at different stages during incubation to see their development and at what stage did the embryo's usually die at? I can give you more advise once you've answered the above questions

My hens just turned three years old, and have never became broody, I tryed to see if they would las year and they never did. I did candel them during different stages and it seemed as if they all died around day 23-24, I am not sure if my humidity was holding high enough for them, the highest I can seem to get is around 65%. I keep my incubator inside and have been sucessful at hatching other duck breeds.

 

[Lacrystol]

Ok let's see, if you go to my website www.lwbarnhouse.com click on the duck tab underneath you will see two hatching methods that have worked for me as well as others, this also works for chickens with the exception chickens don't need sponging as stated in method one.

You can use the turner but only if you lay them down. As shown in method two of my site. Duck eggs do tend to do a lot better if they are laying down. Now question are you using air or still and what is you temp at??

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

Thank you very much lacrystol. My incubators have circulating air and the temp stays around 99.5.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thank you very much lacrystol. My incubators have circulating air and the temp stays around 99.5.

GOOD, depending on what method you use if you do use one that's on my site will determine your humidity. Just remember they seem to do better laying down, and it does take longer to see the SPIDER vein, So give it about 7 days, don't give up on them right away. Good Luck I hope you get some babies..

Keep me posted and if you run into ANY problems let me know

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

Thanks again lacrystol!! I am going to set my eggs today, so I should hopefully see good news in a week or so. I hope I can get some babies.