In over my head

[sjohns20680]

We have had ducks going on 2 years now. We have a large pond and none of our ducks are kept in cages or pens. We started noticing last year that the ducks were laying eggs pretty much everywhere. This year we decided it would be fun to incubate some eggs and have some babies. My husband is building a rather nice "duck pen" for our baby ducks.

We bought an incubator with an egg turner, set it to 99.5 degrees (according to directions). We were within 2 days of when you should turn off the turner...and upon the standard daily check of the temp, we were alarmed to see it at 130 DEGREES!!! How that happened we still are not 100% positive but we think the weather change and it was sitting in a window. We tossed all the eggs (no way they survived that) and have started again with the incubator in a dark room.

Now I am NERVOUS. I collected a variety of eggs for close to a week. Pekings, Blue Sweds, Calls, and I think I may even have a Muscovy or two. That is batch one. Then I collected again for another almost week...got a slew of eggs.

My first problem ...I have to stop turning the eggs on or about day 25, Right? So should I buy just another incubator without a turner and move the first group into that one? As I said, I think I'm in over my head, but we really want to do this. We have so many beautiful ducks and we enjoy them so darn much that we WANT their babies. Any advice anyone can give would be so much appreciated.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If your ducks are not kept separated then your eggs will can and likely are mixed between all of the breeds you listed. (just wanted you to be aware they are likely not going to be the pure breeds you listed)

Duck eggs incubate for 28 days
stop turning on day 25

If you dont set all of the eggs at the same time then you have two options.
1. buy a second bator for hatching
2. remove some of the racks so those eggs arent turned


welcome to the addiction of incubation.

PS..........you may wish to move to the duck section as this is the goose area.