humidity for call duck eggs?

[olpoll]

hello there,
ive currently 20 call duck eggs in a R-COM 20 incubator due to hatch this sunday ill stop turning on thursday.
the humidity at the moment is 45% (its accurate ive tested it) my question is when should i turn the humidity up to 65% on thursday when they stop turning or do i wait until they pip??
its my first time using this incubator i was using a small R-COM mini and the results were drastic over three months i had 6 ducklings dead in the shell on hatch day and only managed to get one out alive even then i had to help!
the last time it happened i tested the humidity and it was only 30% the small incubator is obviously c**p for incubating duck eggs and is now back in its box and in the cupboard.

thanks for any help
Andrew

 

[LilDucky85]

The recommended humidity for ducks is 70-80% during incubation, then in the 90% range for hatching. I kept my humidity 65-80% the entire incubation time, and 90-95% during hatching. This is my very first hatch, and I had 8 out of 9. The one that died even pipped, but then died after. The problem sounds like you have very low humidity for ducks. Ducklings require more humidity to incubate, and hatch than chicks do. Good luck with your hatch!! Calls are difficult to hatch! Keep us updated!

 

[olpoll]

thanks lilducky,
all my duck books tell me to keep humidity at 45% then when they pip to raise it to 65% i know you have had a good hatch with high humidity but i dont want to turn it to high when they have been developing well at 45% at the moment every thing looks well the air sacs are the correct size and there all still alive i dont want to drown them.

 

[bock]

75% NOW!!!!

 

[princessmama]

I've read a lot of time the air cell is the best indication of humidity. If the cell is too small you need less, if too big you need more.

I have my first duck eggs in the bator now and have been concerned about humidity as I cannot get it above 50% . I've been reading 65% for now, but when I posted the question someone said that was way too high. Maybe they were thinking chicken eggs?

I dunno...

 

[olpoll]

yep! some say 45% some say 65% and some say 85% and some even say higher, i dunno either i cant seem to find a proper answer to the question.
then when they die on day 25 all you get is the humidity is either too low OR to high???
ive got mine up to 70% now im holding my breath for the 20 little ducks all in there still alive at the moment.

 

[LilDucky85]

Id say 45% is too low but thats up to you. If you havent had a good hatch yet the humidity is why. Princessmama, sounds like they were thinking chicken eggs.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I haven't hatched duck eggs...yet but everything that I've read has said that ducks need a higher humidity. I think you need to raise your humidity.

Good luck!

Laurie

 

[olpoll]

Quote:
i haven't had a hatch from this bator yet all the disasters came from the rubbish r-com mini i never new the humidity because theres nothing to tell you but when i tested it was only 30% not very good for any thing i would of thought.
the big r-com is very acurate and ive now got the humidity at 70%
im sorry if i sound a little stressed about it but every one seems to have a different answer

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

during incubation, I dont bother to watch the humidity. I just keep track of how large the air sacs are getting.

Make sure from day 10 up until day 23 when you move them to the hatcher, that you cool and mist the eggs each day. Cool for 10 min.

Hatching humidity is 80-85%