How to hatch ducks/ duck hatching tips

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/duckling-care-brooder-ideas.64854/
You could also take them to the tub and put just enough warm water[always warm water] to cover tops of their legs at first. After they have been playing in the water for a few days raise the water level up to where they can swim underwater. you can place a heavy container upside down in the water to give them something to stand on in the tub if they get tired. Always supervise since ducklings can not keep themselves warm nor are they waterproof right off. Once they start bathing in water they will begin to preen and spread oils over their feathers[down] and begin to waterproof themselves. If you put water in their brooder you'll have a mess since they will splash it all out and their bedding will be soaked. They will imprint on you when they hatch. They will also imprint on each other and become a flock.
I don't use a bator my Muscovy hatch for me.

 

[citymeetscountry]

I think that’s the same incubator I just used for my duck eggs (borrowed from a neighbor). Read the manual, it will tell you how to reprogram the countdown. It’s 28 days for ducks. Keep temp 99.5 and humidity 45-55% day 25 will be lockdown, take the auto turner out, and increase humidity.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Can I put a Tupperware bowl in the brooder for them to swim in? Is the brooding different than chicken brooding? If im there when they hatch will they think I'm mama duck?

I was there for both my ducks at hath time, and both imprinted. But it is a process, it starts before they hatch, talking to them, listening to them. During hatch. And continues after they hatch... I spent almost every hour with my girls, I kept them warm, I let them follow me. Those activities deepened the bond. Once they were a few days old, I spent a little more time away from them, and they adjusted perfectly. They became independant enough for me to leave them, but attached enough that they still love being around me.
It might sound like such a sweet idea- But if you can't be there for your ducklings all day, it's best not to let them imprint like how I did. They're just babies, and they don't understand when you leave them, to go to work, out with friends, going about doing chores... They will cry for you, loudly.

 

[kikijung]

Hello, I have three mallard duck eggs that I have rescued. I have them in an incubator. They are at 99.5 degrees and rotating but I do not know how far along they are. I have candled them but it seems very unclear to me. They all seem to be at different stages when I candle them. Two are definitely moving inside and of those two I can see a lot of movement in, or near, the egg sack. I don't know anything about what I am doing here and am not sure if I should separate them. Do I turn down the temp if only one is ready to hatch and how can I be sure that it is ready? Also wondering if I should stop rotating it and be spraying them daily. I see mixed info on this. I do not know what the humidity level is in my incubator and not sure how to increase it but have been keeping the bottom well with water. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[nchls school]

Hello, I have three mallard duck eggs that I have rescued. I have them in an incubator. They are at 99.5 degrees and rotating but I do not know how far along they are. I have candled them but it seems very unclear to me. They all seem to be at different stages when I candle them.

There are duck egg development charts online that you can use to compare your eggs to in order to determine where they are at.

Two are definitely moving inside and of those two I can see a lot of movement in, or near, the egg sack. I don't know anything about what I am doing here and am not sure if I should separate them. Do I turn down the temp if only one is ready to hatch and how can I be sure that it is ready.

Under the circumstances leave the eggs and temperature where it is.

Also wondering if I should stop rotating it and be spraying them daily.

I do not stop turning the eggs as I usually have eggs hatching at different times. I do turn manually. Unless you live in a dry climate, misting/spraying is not necessary. If you're unsure about this, mist just the last week before hatch, and then only slightly.

I see mixed info on this. I do not know what the humidity level is in my incubator and not sure how to increase it but have been keeping the bottom well with water.

Just keep the reservoir filled.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

If you wish, take pictures of the eggs while being candled; from the side, not from the egg's ends, and we can help you determine if the eggs are developing and where they ae at in development. When eggs decompose, the gasses building up inside cause movement, which is confused by the viewer who believes the eggs are alive.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hello, I have three mallard duck eggs that I have rescued. I have them in an incubator. They are at 99.5 degrees and rotating but I do not know how far along they are. I have candled them but it seems very unclear to me. They all seem to be at different stages when I candle them. Two are definitely moving inside and of those two I can see a lot of movement in, or near, the egg sack. I don't know anything about what I am doing here and am not sure if I should separate them. Do I turn down the temp if only one is ready to hatch and how can I be sure that it is ready? Also wondering if I should stop rotating it and be spraying them daily. I see mixed info on this. I do not know what the humidity level is in my incubator and not sure how to increase it but have been keeping the bottom well with water. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Please could you candle the eggs and post pictures of them? That will help us to tell how far along they are.
For now, keep rotating until they internally pip (you'll hear faint chirps, taps, or see their bill in the air cell in candling). Don't reduce the temp, you dont need to do this at hatch time. The eggs go into "lockdown" three days before hatch, which is when you stop turning and raide the humidity. Do you have a calibrated thermometer and hygrometer? We need to know the humidity for the eggs, for now about 55% is okay, but once in lockdown it should be raised to 65-70%.
You can spray the eggs with water daily if you want to, but you do not need to cool or spray, they will be fine without that.
Please do lots of research as ducklings need a lot of care, a brooder with a heat lamp or heating plate (able to go under when needed but can also escape heat to a cool side of the brooder box), they need duckling food, not chick food, and need a suitable water source (something deep enough to dunk their heads but that they cannot climb or fall into) and they grow very very fast. If these are wild mallards, I strongly advise looking for a wildlife rehabilitation centre to take them, or to advise. Depending on your location, keeping wild mallards could be illegal.
Please do take some candling photos as soon as you can, I would be happy to guess an age and check they're all alive still.
Best of luck!

 

[BelovedBirds]

I do turn manually. Unless you live in a dry climate, misting/spraying is not necessary.

Just to point out, spraying the eggs isn't good if the climate is dry, misting isnt to increase humidity, spraying the eggs directly actually helps the eggs to release moisture, so should be done to make the air cells bigger. It sounds backwards, but that's how it actually works I've heard.

 

[kikijung]

I think that’s the same incubator I just used for my duck eggs (borrowed from a neighbor). Read the manual, it will tell you how to reprogram the countdown. It’s 28 days for ducks. Keep temp 99.5 and humidity 45-55% day 25 will be lockdown, take the auto turner out, and increase humidity.

What is lock down?

There are duck egg development charts online that you can use to compare your eggs to in order to determine where they are at.

Under the circumstances leave the eggs and temperature where it is.

I do not stop turning the eggs as I usually have eggs hatching at different times. I do turn manually. Unless you live in a dry climate, misting/spraying is not necessary. If you're unsure about this, mist just the last week before hatch, and then only slightly.

Just keep the reservoir filled.

If you wish, take pictures of the eggs while being candled; from the side, not from the egg's ends, and we can help you determine if the eggs are developing and where they ae at in development. When eggs decompose, the gasses building up inside cause movement, which is confused by the viewer who believes the eggs are alive.

This is all so helpful! One of my two viable eggs pipped today! And it looks like the other is about to as well when I candled it.

 

[BelovedBirds]

What is lock down?

This is all so helpful! One of my two viable eggs pipped today! And it looks like the other is about to as well when I candled it.

lockdown is when you get them ready for hatch, the humidity needs to go up and the eggs should stop being turned, this is 3 days before hatch date, so for ducks they go into lockdown day 25