Incubating Help?

[ebrader]

i am incubating duck eggs for a science fair project and i need some help. can someone please recommend a hygrometer / thermometer, duck eggs turner replacement trays for a hovabator and some help on how to make my hovabator work? please help i tried to hatch a dozen eggs all ready but only 1 was fertilized and i think it died of infection but i don't really know..

 

[nurse_turtle]

Do NOT wash your eggs before incubating. I have no experience with duck eggs but with my chicken eggs, I do a dry incubation where NO water is added until lockdown. I then add warm water to all water trays and lock it down. I have great hatches with my chicken eggs this way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

This is where I started with my first attempt at 3 goose eggs which go into lockdown this Sunday.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Go ahead and rinse the mud and poop off the eggs. Duck eggs are more water-proof than chicken eggs and it won't hurt the eggs. You will have a better hatch if you spritz the eggs every day with water that is the same exact temperature as the inside of the incubator. The easiest way to do that is to keep your spray bottle of water inside the incubator.

Duck eggs get a "cool down" every day, so don't worry about having the incubator open to spray the eggs or to turn them, They are supposed to do better on their sides and hand turned. (I haven't used an automatic turner to compare.)

I suggest that you candle the eggs before they go into the incubator. If you find any cracks, seal them before you put the eggs into the incubator. The cracked eggs might not hatch, but give them a chance.

 

[thasista]

I have found this hygrometer to be top notch!

http://www.eggcartons.com/New-Design-Incubator-Hygrometer/productinfo/FHP-HYGRO/

and this thermometer matches my cows rectal thermometer exactly.

http://www.eggcartons.com/GQF-Incubator-Thermometer_Hygrometer/productinfo/3018/

 

[ebrader]

Thank you soo much!