Incubating Muscovy Eggs Progress

[Blacklotus]

Start them out as hatching lings yes. I have one who was rejected by his mom and even though he is going on 6 yrs old he is like a puppy loves to come inside and spend time with us we're his mom and dad. lol I hope you have already asked your family about whether they would like ducklings they are not for everyone. They aren't enough words to say how much I love these ducks.

Haha yes not to worry.. my family would love a couple of them, they have a spare coop over there waiting to be used!
I plan on letting mine inside too, all my animals come inside.. my home is theirs

I was looking into duck diapers too, they would be handy especially if they're coming inside.. wouldn't have to worry about the mess of poo.
BUT! I need to stop getting ahead of myself lol, the eggs are yet to hatch, and who knows... all of them might not make it to the end. The last week of incubation and even lockdown is going to be the death of me haha. This has been the longest 5 weeks in history

But on a more positive note, it's day 18 and all the eggs are doing fantastic, cells look good, chicks are all moving.. hope it continues like this! I'll have to upload some more pics soon.

 

[Ren2014]

Would you's say muscovy's make nice pets? I plan on keeping one or two for myself as family pets, and giving the rest to family or other good homes.
Have they got a nice nature? enjoy cuddles etc? I have seen some very cute affectionate muscovy videos on youtube, I think it's adorable how they wag their tails

I would definitely say 'yes.' All of mine are pets. Some are more friendly than others but I'm still working on finding a 'cuddler.' Males seem to be more personable then females and I have better luck with them up until they learn what females are, lol. Right now I have two young ones that I can pick up with out causing an explosion. I would love to have one in the house but my DH is spastic about duck poo

Start them out as hatching lings yes. I have one who was rejected by his mom and even though he is going on 6 yrs old he is like a puppy loves to come inside and spend time with us we're his mom and dad. lol I hope you have already asked your family about whether they would like ducklings they are not for everyone. They aren't enough words to say how much I love these ducks.

Opie

Haha yes not to worry.. my family would love a couple of them, they have a spare coop over there waiting to be used!
I plan on letting mine inside too, all my animals come inside.. my home is theirs

I was looking into duck diapers too, they would be handy especially if they're coming inside.. wouldn't have to worry about the mess of poo.
BUT! I need to stop getting ahead of myself lol, the eggs are yet to hatch, and who knows... all of them might not make it to the end. The last week of incubation and even lockdown is going to be the death of me haha. This has been the longest 5 weeks in history

But on a more positive note, it's day 18 and all the eggs are doing fantastic, cells look good, chicks are all moving.. hope it continues like this! I'll have to upload some more pics soon.

Glad to hear all are developing well

 

[Blacklotus]

I would definitely say 'yes.' All of mine are pets. Some are more friendly than others but I'm still working on finding a 'cuddler.' Males seem to be more personable then females and I have better luck with them up until they learn what females are, lol. Right now I have two young ones that I can pick up with out causing an explosion. I would love to have one in the house but my DH is spastic about duck poo

Opie

Glad to hear all are developing well

I had a feeling males would be more affectionate as a pet. Usually all male animals are, my male birds all are too. It's strange how it works. How many Muscovy's have you got Ren? and do you live on land, or keep them all in your backyard?

Took some pics tonight, I have actually been candling every night, as I still have no hygrometer, and I need to check how the air sacs are coming along each day. When I first put the eggs in, I was waiting on a hygrometer to arrive.. and when it did, I turned it on and the readings were all out of whack, it just didn't work at all. I paid $10 for it! a cheapy from eBay. I've since bought two more of a different brand, so I'm waiting for them to arrive. So this whole time I have just been winging it, and carefully monitoring their cells and controlling the water etc. It's a bit of a pain, but I think I'm doing okay. I just hope the unknown humidity inside isn't doing any damage that I can't see with the eye... i'm very paranoid of them drowning or drying out too much. So I need to know those readings ASAP.

It's day 18 now, and we are half way there !!

~~~



This photo above has weird streaks going through the dark bit, no idea what that is. Probably nothing. Although this egg is further along than the others I think, by a day or two.

.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had a feeling males would be more affectionate as a pet. Usually all male animals are, my male birds all are too. It's strange how it works. How many Muscovy's have you got Ren? and do you live on land, or keep them all in your backyard?

Took some pics tonight, I have actually been candling every night, as I still have no hygrometer, and I need to check how the air sacs are coming along each day. When I first put the eggs in, I was waiting on a hygrometer to arrive.. and when it did, I turned it on and the readings were all out of whack, it just didn't work at all. I paid $10 for it! a cheapy from eBay. I've since bought two more of a different brand, so I'm waiting for them to arrive. So this whole time I have just been winging it, and carefully monitoring their cells and controlling the water etc. It's a bit of a pain, but I think I'm doing okay. I just hope the unknown humidity inside isn't doing any damage that I can't see with the eye... i'm very paranoid of them drowning or drying out too much. So I need to know those readings ASAP.

It's day 18 now, and we are half way there !!

~~~



This photo above has weird streaks going through the dark bit, no idea what that is. Probably nothing. Although this egg is further along than the others I think, by a day or two.

.

Hopefully it's nothing but duckling forming. I love to candle too. Thanks for sharing your pics. They all look great.

Even my gander who is an ornery bugger right now[breeding season] is friendlier than his mate Missy. The boys just seem to need more love than the girls. lol

 

[Ren2014]

I had a feeling males would be more affectionate as a pet. Usually all male animals are, my male birds all are too. It's strange how it works. How many Muscovy's have you got Ren? and do you live on land, or keep them all in your backyard?

About 14 adults and 22 young ones. They are never all in one place for me to count

Yes, we live on land but they are all in the 'backyard.' They free range and some of them wander from our duck pond to our stock tank. I have 7 regular ducks that waddle back and forth also

Hopefully it's nothing but duckling forming. I love to candle too. Thanks for sharing your pics. They all look great.

Even my gander who is an ornery bugger right now[breeding season] is friendlier than his mate Missy. The boys just seem to need more love than the girls. lol

"the boys.... " the MEN... lol, Isn't that the truth

 

[Blacklotus]

So i've come to a bit of a dilemma at the moment ! It's almost day 23 of incubation, and without even thinking of checking the humidity levels in my area online, I've just been winging it this whole time. Well today, my new hygrometers arrived, and they ALL say the same reading. It's about 60% humidity inside my house, and the readings online are about 73% outside. (It's Summer time here at the moment, but has been cool days) so I have been adding water in my bator when I shouldn't have been... the air cells, now looking at the comparison of where they should be on a muscovy egg, look too small! The good thing is though, they ARE losing weight, i've been drawing lines and they lose a bit every day. So that's good I guess? But should I start leaving the bator dry now until hatch date next week? I'm freaking out... what if I drown my babies.

The reading inside the bator now reads 40% humidity, after taking out the water. So I think I will leave the water out for now.

What do you think of these pictures? Would you say these look too small for day 22/23? they honestly look like they are around day 12-14 on that comparison pic

they were looking so well at the start, now im super worried. @Miss Lydia @Ren2014

~~~

 

[Miss Lydia]

So i've come to a bit of a dilemma at the moment ! It's almost day 23 of incubation, and without even thinking of checking the humidity levels in my area online, I've just been winging it this whole time. Well today, my new hygrometers arrived, and they ALL say the same reading. It's about 60% humidity inside my house, and the readings online are about 73% outside. (It's Summer time here at the moment, but has been cool days) so I have been adding water in my bator when I shouldn't have been... the air cells, now looking at the comparison of where they should be on a muscovy egg, look too small! The good thing is though, they ARE losing weight, i've been drawing lines and they lose a bit every day. So that's good I guess? But should I start leaving the bator dry now until hatch date next week? I'm freaking out... what if I drown my babies.

The reading inside the bator now reads 40% humidity, after taking out the water. So I think I will leave the water out for now.

What do you think of these pictures? Would you say these look too small for day 22/23? they honestly look like they are around day 12-14 on that comparison pic

they were looking so well at the start, now im super worried. @Miss Lydia @Ren2014

~~~

@WVduckchick

@Ren2014 I can't do bators never used one. Hope one of these ladies will be on soon.

@RavynFallen

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes, those air cells do look quite small for day 22/23. You did right by removing the water. They should have time to catch up quite a bit before it will be time to raise it again for hatching. So don't panic yet!

Good luck!!

 

[Ren2014]

So i've come to a bit of a dilemma at the moment ! It's almost day 23 of incubation, and without even thinking of checking the humidity levels in my area online, I've just been winging it this whole time. Well today, my new hygrometers arrived, and they ALL say the same reading. It's about 60% humidity inside my house, and the readings online are about 73% outside. (It's Summer time here at the moment, but has been cool days) so I have been adding water in my bator when I shouldn't have been... the air cells, now looking at the comparison of where they should be on a muscovy egg, look too small! The good thing is though, they ARE losing weight, i've been drawing lines and they lose a bit every day. So that's good I guess? But should I start leaving the bator dry now until hatch date next week? I'm freaking out... what if I drown my babies.

The reading inside the bator now reads 40% humidity, after taking out the water. So I think I will leave the water out for now.

What do you think of these pictures? Would you say these look too small for day 22/23? they honestly look like they are around day 12-14 on that comparison pic

they were looking so well at the start, now im super worried. @Miss Lydia @Ren2014

~~~

Yes, those air cells do look quite small for day 22/23. You did right by removing the water. They should have time to catch up quite a bit before it will be time to raise it again for hatching. So don't panic yet!

Good luck!!

x2 That's the great thing about humidity, you can make up for it one way or the other. Keep us posted

 

[Blacklotus]

Yes, those air cells do look quite small for day 22/23. You did right by removing the water. They should have time to catch up quite a bit before it will be time to raise it again for hatching. So don't panic yet!

Good luck!!

Phew! yes I still have pretty much 2 weeks left until hatch, so I'll just keep it dry and hope for the best until then glad I noticed this earlier than later when it's too late! Thanks for easing my mind hahah

x2 That's the great thing about humidity, you can make up for it one way or the other. Keep us posted

Yep, thats why I put a little water cup near the eggs instead of down underneath in the tray, it's much more controllable when it's in something you can easily take out or add to etc. I'm not too sure what to do now though, I left the bator dry all night, but the humidity got down to 35%, is that still okay? or should I add a few drops of water inside to up it to 40%.