Nothing new, just me confused again After going through the incubating and hatching threads and then reading the sticky on hatching and then searching about hatching, I am confused as to what I need to be doing if I want to try and incubate. My Olivia has been laying for a couple of months now but Dips only recently started doing the deed correctly, so we finally have fertile eggs. I took almost 30 eggs out of her nest 12 days ago (the first were on the verge of exploding ) and after checking her nest yesterday she has 10 eggs. My husband wants a few more ducks before winter but we don't know thing about incubating duck eggs. Olivia is sitting sometimes and not other times. She was on the nest when I took my daughter to school but was off an hour later when I left for work and she was back on at lunch but will likely be off when I get home again. I know because that has been her pattern for the last few days. She doesn't sleep on them but she does get on them for about an hour or so in the evenings. So I'm betting she won't be a reliable sitter So I guess what I am asking is what do I need to know about incubation? This is the information that I pulled out after going through about 100 threads (I think I over thought this): Temperature: 99-101, Humidity: 55-65%, turn 3X per day but lay flat not at an angle like chickens, lock down at 24 days then increase temp to 102 and humidity to 75-80% What I don't get is some threads said to take the lid off for about an hour or two every day to let them cool? That was kind of strange but maybe I was reading something different than what was meant. Better yet forget the incubation help, does someone have a broody chicken I can borrow?
Humidity for days 0-24 40-45% Humidity for days 25-hatch 65-70% Temps Still air (NO fans) 101 Forced air (WITH fans) 99.5 You can use auto turners, or you can hand turn. You do NOT increase the temp, you want to keep it as stabile as possible. Do not use old eggs, hatch rates drop once the first egg collected is over 10 days old. So collect for 7 if possible and set on day 8 Set up the incubator and run it empty to get the thermometer and hydrometer checked and calibrated so you have accurate readings. Once in lock down DO NOT open the bator for any reason. The ducklings will be fine in the bator until all eggs have hatched or there is no more progress from the remaining eggs. DO post here often with questions and pictures, because pictures are a must. Enjoy incubating, it can be very rewarding, but stressful when you first start. It is ok to make mistakes, everyone is new at some point. Shellie
You guys are so great I think I may be ok in doing this. I will mark her eggs and gather the freshest ones & that will give me time to get the incubator checked and working properly. I will post lots of pictures and probably ask a lot more silly questions along the way
