I need help with this hatch: over 48 hours since pip. **Pic added.*

[QuackerJackFarms]

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Thanks Elaine! All good advice. I don't smell anything "funny" going on. When I candled I don't know if I'm seeing things or if there's movement. The other 6 I'm going to leave alone. I bumped the humidity up and did open the one egg that has been peeping and pecking since Monday. I didn't break the membrane but just moistened it and put it back. I'm letting it warm up a tad before tackling it again..

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Well, I opened up egg #2 that was very active and then slowed down.. It is shrink wrapped. And didn't make it. I waited too long. I'm sick with regret to be honest. I'm going to post a new thread to hopefully get some info from other on this..

 

[ElaineS585]

Aw, very sorry to hear about #2. Try not to beat yourself up about it -- you did the best that you could under the circumstances. Try to remember that most eggs that don't make it on their own didn't make it because of some type of defect. (Kinda like that old saying "survival of the fittest".) Many times people help ducklings hatch and only later find out/discover that they were defective in some way and many/if not most don't live for very long. Hang in there & hope #1 gives you some comfort. Elaine

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

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Thanks Elaine. #1 is making up for it. But I am still mad at myself for not listening to my Inner Ducky. I posted a new thread hoping someone can advise me, so my next round doesn't end up the same way.

 

[JulieNKC]

I haven't hatched duck eggs yet (would love too, but mr. drake needs to take care of some business before I am able) so I can't give you any advice. Have you float tested the remaining eggs yet?

 

[GrannyCarol]

If your humidity was below 70% at the start of hatching, that's too low. Also do NOT crack the remaning eggs until day 30 at least. I've had them hatch just fine several days after the first one - on day 32! They may still be viable, esp if the last candling showed movement and slower development. Slow development indicates a cool incubator. Shrink wrapping means too dry. I fight low humidity all the time, its usually about 20% humidity here in the air. I often have to run a humidifier in the room with the incubator, plus fill all the trays and use wet sponges to get over 55%. It definitely affects my hatches.

I would NOT float test them, you could easily drown a hatching egg. I had some in the back of my incubator one time that, after I took the turner out for hatching about day 27, sat just a tiny bit low and had a little shell in the water. They didn't make it. As far as I know the float test is used on old eggs you might want to eat - the older the egg, the larger the air cell and the more likely it will float. Incubated eggs should have a large air cell and might float, but I wouldn't think it means the duckling is alive.

One way you can follow if your humidity is right is to mark where the air cell is at the beginning and check each week. The air cell should get bigger and be about 1/4 of the egg at hatching. If it gets big too fast, up your humidity, if it stays small, lower your humidity. I also use a good kitchen scale to weigh my eggs every week when I candle. They should lose about .1 ounce a week as the air cell grows. Of course that varies by the size of the egg to start with! My big duck eggs weigh up to 4 oz at the beginning (Silver Appleyard), the little ones about 2.5 oz (Khaki Campbells). Most range from 2.75 to 3.0. They will lose about 1/2 oz in 4 weeks.

For more information, check "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks" by Dave Holderread. It is a very complete book with lots of incubation information from one of the top experts in hatching waterfowl.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Thanks Peeps. I just saw that book up at TSC. I'll go get it.

I see so many contradicting opinions on here when it comes to humidity. I'm going to definietly keep it higher for this one. What should the humidity be on silkie eggs and cochin eggs?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Maybe mama will incubate the next time around for you, less stress on you and she will love it.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

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You really need to read the sub sections (like the duck area) on BYC when looking to incubate anything other than chickens. Each fowl has its own needs and tricks to getting artificial incubation to work. So with that said, if you ask on the general incubation thread you may not get the answer you should for ducks or peafowl, ect. You may also get people arguing on the thread because those who do and have hatched ducks would give good advice, but have chicken hatchers arguing they are wrong.

Your part of the country also comes into play, the climate, humidity, drafts ect will all effect the hatch rate.

If you open the incubator too often, especially once in lockdown. Unless you have experience with hatching and know how your conditions effect the bator it is best to not mess more than needed.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

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You really need to read the sub sections (like the duck area) on BYC when looking to incubate anything other than chickens. Each fowl has its own needs and tricks to getting artificial incubation to work. So with that said, if you ask on the general incubation thread you may not get the answer you should for ducks or peafowl, ect. You may also get people arguing on the thread because those who do and have hatched ducks would give good advice, but have chicken hatchers arguing they are wrong.

Your part of the country also comes into play, the climate, humidity, drafts ect will all effect the hatch rate.

If you open the incubator too often, especially once in lockdown. Unless you have experience with hatching and know how your conditions effect the bator it is best to not mess more than needed.

I was doing my searches specifically for ducks. I found people saying 80 to 85 percent, people saying 55 percent, people saying 70 percent.. etc. Even found a thread where someone was doing a "dry hatch" or something.. I don't know.. but they were duck specific. I have experience with hatching , only chickens. Not ducks.

Ducks are a whole other story I do believe!

Maybe in the spring mama duck will decide she wants to be a mommy and do this herself!!