Incubating duck eggs with chicken eggs

[Saie609]

Can I get any suggestions or tips on how to successfully hatch duck and chicken eggs that are being incubated in the same incubator at the same time?

 

[IvysAnimals]

Well,,, they both need different temps and humidity at times, so its possibly dangerous to both. It Might make the ducks possibly die because chickens need higher temp and maybe have them develop faster which is also dangerous, or "vice versa" ( sort of ) with the chicks... I'm not sure if it's the best thing that you can do but they develop a couple of hours after incubation... So you can get another incubator or just monitor them very closely. Ducks need the temp at 99.5 degrees F and chickens need 100.5 degrees F. Ducks need 45-55% humidity and increased to 65% at day 25 before they hatch. Chickens need 50-55% humidity and 70-75% for hatching. Chickens need to be turned about 5+ times a day for best results and ducks at least 2. Ducks need 28+ days for hatching, because of the shape of their beak, they usually take longer while chicks have 21 days, usually they're on time. Hope that helps!

 

[nuthatched]

Well,,, they both need different temps and humidity at times, so its possibly dangerous to both. It will make the ducks possibly die because chickens need higher temp and maybe have them develop faster which is also dangerous... I'm not sure if it's the best thing that you can do but they develop a couple of hours after incubation... So you can get another incubator or just monitor them very closely. Ducks need the temp at 99.5 degrees F and chickens need 100.5 degrees F. Ducks need 45-55% humidity and increased to 65% at day 25 before they hatch. Chickens need 50-55% humidity and 70-75% for hatching. Chickens need to be turned about 5+ times a day for best results and ducks at least 2. Ducks need 28+ days for hatching, because of the shape of their beak, they usually take longer while chicks have 21 days, usually they're on time. Hope that helps!

The humidity is reversed for each and too far away from each for a successful hatch together. The temperature difference is marginal and isn't a death sentence for either species. Both can be turned as little as 3 times a day. :]

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had chicken egg hatching staggered one time. One week apart from each other. I added a duck egg (day 8 for the duck) that was under a hen and she had cracked it. All the hatching and moisture in the incubator was perfect for the hatching duck egg. It came out normal.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Chicken eggs don't need 100.5F for incubation

 

[Saie609]

Hmm I’ve read that 99.5 F is ok for both? Our incubator automatically turns eggs slowly (for 100 seconds every hour) so I’m not worried about the turning aspect of it. We have the eggs marked to make sure they are indeed turning, but have I made a major error in putting both in together? Is there no way to successfully hatch both together? As far as humidity is a higher/lower humidity dangerous for the embryos? I’ve read that duck eggs need to be cooled and misted once a day from day 7 until 2 days before they hatch, but that would mean opening the incubator during lockdown, wouldn’t it? Sorry, I’m very new to all of this and errors have been made, but I want to at least try to get both to hatch.

 

[NatJ]

Hmm I’ve read that 99.5 F is ok for both? Our incubator automatically turns eggs slowly (for 100 seconds every hour) so I’m not worried about the turning aspect of it. We have the eggs marked to make sure they are indeed turning, but have I made a major error in putting both in together? Is there no way to successfully hatch both together? As far as humidity is a higher/lower humidity dangerous for the embryos? I’ve read that duck eggs need to be cooled and misted once a day from day 7 until 2 days before they hatch, but that would mean opening the incubator during lockdown, wouldn’t it? Sorry, I’m very new to all of this and errors have been made, but I want to at least try to get both to hatch.

I think you have a good chance of getting some to hatch, of both species.

When I look up temperature, they both need it the same.
Some incubators have to be set to different temperatures, depending on whether the incubator has a fan circulating the air, and where the thermometer is in the incubator. But chickens and ducks do not need different temperatures than each other.

For humidity, try to avoid either extreme (very high or very low.) Anything in the middle will probably work well enough.

During actual hatching it is important to have high humidity, but during most of incubation I think high humidity is more likely to causes more problems than too low. The rate of problems depends a lot on how far off the humidity is.

You can candle the eggs to check the size of the air cells. There are diagrams online of what size the air cell should be at what point in incubation.

The air cell gets bigger in dry conditions (more moisture escapes from the egg), and stays small in humid conditions (less moistute escapes.) Air cells never get smaller, but they can stay the same size or get bigger.

You don't need perfect humidity at all times. You do need the egg to lose the right amount of moisture by hatch day.

Can I get any suggestions or tips on how to successfully hatch duck and chicken eggs that are being incubated in the same incubator at the same time?

Did you start them at the same time?
If so, the chicken eggs will hatch sooner than the duck eggs.

I would probably aim for chicken-level humidity during the first part of incubation, then raise the humidity when you lock down for the chicks. With extra humidity at that time, I would not open the incubator to mist the duck eggs. After the chicks hatch, candle to check the duckling air cells. If their size is way off, you could raise or lower humidity for the last few days before locking down the duck eggs. Hopefully they will be fine, and you won't have to change anything.