Incubating duck eggs, 2 questions

[chickmomma03]

If I actually started incubation early afternoon would I still technically count today as day 1? And, 2 of the eggs have a little break in the shell, it does NOT penetrate the membrane, they're small, but I did put a little tape over temporarily until I could find out what to do. Will the tape be fine for the entire incubation or is there something else that I should use? One of the eggs has a tiny crack on the side of the egg near the bottom, the other has it where the air sac is. Neither are broke through, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to leave it for bacteria exposure concern.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Day 1 starts after a full 24 hours of incubation. So if you set on a Sunday afternoon at lets say 1pm day 1 would be Monday at 1pm day 2 would be Tuesday at 1pm day 3 would be Wednesday at 1pm and so forth. The day you set is day 0.

As for your cracks in the eggs, I'm not sure about the tape for the whole incubation as when your ducklings try to zip the egg this could stop them in their tracks. Wax is a good choice for covering the cracks.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your eggs

 

[chickmomma03]

Thanks. I have some candles, does it matter if they're plain wax or scented? I'm not trying to sound silly or anything, I've just never done it before. I put the tape on for a temporary solution because I was worried about potential bacteria exposure (and I've read early on it can make or break things, I don't want to do anything to cause sick/dying ducklings as they develop).

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I would go for plain candles. The smell from scented could become over powering in a warm incubator. It will be just a wait see thing with the eggs to see if the cracks affect them. It's not ideal them having cracks but there is nothing to say they won't develop and hatch. It can and does happen.

 

[chickmomma03]

Thanks. I was thinking plain, but didn't know (I have a few plain around I think, if not I'll grab one). Yea, silly me, I have the brooder tank sitting on a chest that has a small shelf above it (where I had them temporarily housed while building the incubator). I keep my medication on that shelf, I was putting my thermometer/hyrgrometer up there, and the bottle fell and caught 1 of the eggs a little.

Lesson learned, don't do that again.

 

[chickmomma03]

I was able to work quickly, get the tape off (no shell came with it), and get some plain wax on for a seal. Thanks! Now hopefully I will have at LEAST one successful hatch out of the 3 eggs