Incubating Duck eggs for the 1st time - Questions

[StevenW.]

Quote:
Not sure where this comes from but it's not true.

You want the same temperature you would normally operate at for any of those incubator models. Usually that's 99.5. Your humidity should be set up the same as usual also, only when you open to turn the eggs you can mist them lightly with a spray bottle once a day. Some people don't do that. Try to pick up a digital hydrometer as soon as you can, just to be sure you're within range of 50% humidity.

Candle as usual, go into lock down as usual, bump the humidity up to 70% at the time of lock down. Keep the lid shut to retain your humidity when they start to pip and hatch. The more you open it, the more issues you could cause.

Agreed. That post was not true.

Mandelyn explained everything perfectly! Since my incubator is in the basement and the humidity in the basement is always higher than anywhere else in the house I have it there and I also don't add any water till lockdown since I like to dry Incubate. (It has worked better on my last couple hatches doing that so I'm just going to stick with it.)

 

[StevenW.]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

Quote:
Hehe, I have over 100 chicken eggs cookin'.

I already hatched out close to 20 guinea keets, and 20 baby chicks!

I just can't seem to turn the 'bators off!

~Aspen

I only have 4 call duck eggs cookin then I'm done till next year.

 

[Muggsmagee]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I'll be getting some duck eggs in the mail next week, and I haven't the slightest idea how to incubate them. I've incubated chicken, guiinea, and peafowl eggs, but never ducks. I have a 1588 Genesis HB, a Brinsea Mini Advanced, and two Sportsman. Most likely I will incubate them in the Brinsea, as I can keep the humidity higher in there. So please tell me how many days to incubate, what temp, humidity etc.

Oh, by the by..I do not have a gage or what ever it's called to measure humidity, and I have no way of getting one before the eggs get here so I don't know how I'll measure the humidity but...

~Aspen

Puh-lease! You are a pro and don't even realize! I've hatched duck, goose and chicken eggs altogether in the same bator at the same time...nothing modified to accomodate the waterfowl...all in my Brinsea. Hatch rate on all 3 varieties was EXCELLENT!

No worries...as long as those eggs are fertile and no damage, you'll do fine!​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Thank you!

~Aspen

your welcome!!! what breeds are you puting in???

I'm not very good at duck breeds yet, but from the pictures I would say Campbells, and then there were some black and white crested ducks, and some blue and white crested ducks. They're so cute!

~Aspen

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Puh-lease! You are a pro and don't even realize! I've hatched duck, goose and chicken eggs altogether in the same bator at the same time...nothing modified to accomodate the waterfowl...all in my Brinsea. Hatch rate on all 3 varieties was EXCELLENT!

No worries...as long as those eggs are fertile and no damage, you'll do fine!

OMG!

THANKS MEAGAN!!

You are so sweet!

~Aspen

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

Quote:
your welcome!!! what breeds are you puting in???

I'm not very good at duck breeds yet, but from the pictures I would say Campbells, and then there were some black and white crested ducks, and some blue and white crested ducks. They're so cute!

~Aspen​

cool! i have 3 roeun eggs (pure breds) and then 6 khaki campbell x rouen mutts. this will be my last hatch of the year too.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I'm not very good at duck breeds yet, but from the pictures I would say Campbells, and then there were some black and white crested ducks, and some blue and white crested ducks. They're so cute!

~Aspen

cool! i have 3 roeun eggs (pure breds) and then 6 khaki campbell x rouen mutts. this will be my last hatch of the year too.

When are they due to hatch?

~Aspen

 

[mandelyn]

So how are you going to brood these babies when they hatch out of those eggs? Is it your first time with ducklings too? Hatching is about the same as everything else... but brooding... that's where the real work begins.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Yes, first time with ducklings. I'm hoping not to brood them for more than a couple of days, until my friend picks them up. I know I will get super attached to them as soon as they hatch, so the less I have to keep them, the better. They can eat the same food as chicks right, or do they need something higher in protien? Can they drink out of the same waters I use for my chicks? Do they need to have a swimg every couple of days, or does it not matter?

~Aspen

 

[mandelyn]

The same waterer is fine for a couple days. You'll need a dish deep enough for them to dunk their head, but not big enough for them to get into. It takes a couple of weeks until they can swim, since they need to stay warm and dry until the oil gland gets going and they can water proof themselves. After the 3rd week they can swim, but before that you need to dry them off right after so they don't chill.

The first couple of days they're not that messy. The older they get the messier they get, but you won't need to worry about that if you won't have them long.

They try to eat the pine shaving bedding, so I start them out on towels. I can rinse those with a hose and then wash and re-use.. so no bedding costs either. After that when they get REALLY messy around week 3, they go on wire with catch pans below, and a towel under the heat lamp for comfort and to give their feet a break.

Some have been messier than others earlier... so I'll take a microfiber dish towel, fold it twice, and put it under the water. That kind of towel holds a lot of moisture, only need to change it once a day. When they're bigger, at week 2, I'll put the chick waterer in the flat deep end of a paint roller tray. Does a lot to catch the mess.

I only give them the "nose cleaning jar" twice a day, other wise they soak the bedding/towels and I need to change them 3-4 times a day to keep them dry and warm.

They get food mixed with water, and then it can clog their nose from "sifting" the mixture... so they blow their nose out in deeper water.

Because they're so funny I'll take a plastic tote and put about 3 inches of water in it, and set them in it. They freak the heck out and go to town, washing and nose blowing and shooting around in it. Then I towel dry them and put them back.

The only way to describe their water play when they really get going is "zoom-zoom!"

Same brooder temp of 95+ for the first week and dropping from there. The only difference in brooding is them trying to eat bedding, the water mess and nose cleaning needs.

Oh right.. food. Same thing! Non medicated chick starter... used to be the medicated was harmful to water fowl, now.. you need to read the label and see if it says safe for waterfowl. Otherwise you want a game bird starter or unmedicated chicken starter. Most of the feeds have enough Niacin in them, but some are formulated for chickens and don't have enough niacin in it. You'll have to read the label and see. lack of Niacin causes leg problems later on... corrected by Niacin supplements. Some ducks are more prone to the deficiency than others, I treat it like a wait and see deal, since the feed I use has Niacin in it.