Incubating Scared Question

[Dottie Pratt]

Ok. I was going to wait till next Spring to get a bator.
Couldn't help myself this weekend. Had to have one NOW!!!
Well anyway. I got the temps set rather easily. Its a LG. Didn't have any eggs tho to use. Only getting 1 aday now.
Wen't all over to the folks in our area trying to find some Eggs.
Well the only thing I came uip with was Ducks egg's. I said OK I have Ducks. I'll try.
There in the bator.

Do I have to Candle them or can I just leave be?
Now after about 3 days can I put some chicken eggs with the duck eggs?
I'm so scared that this won't work. But I must try. You folks out here make me have the bug worse every day. Reading and then I want to try.

Dottie

 

[Fudgie]

Just remember to mark the eggs with the date you put them in (in pencil) so you know when they need to quit being turned.

Ducks take 28 days and Chicks take 21 eggs give or take. As long as you know what the date is, you can keep them in together. Make sure you have a brooder set up so you can remove the ones that hatch into the brooder after 24 hours(or after fluffy....don't move them till they are really fluffed up.)

Warning, Ducks will smash the baby chicks after hatching....I would have 2 different brooders ready one for ducks, one for chicks. They can be hatched together however....I have done this many times.

Oh yeah, you don't have to candle them at all if you don't want, I cannot stand it so I HAVE to candle them hee hee.

Good Luck and welcome to the insanity!

 

[Dottie Pratt]

Thank you.

I did not know that the ducks may smash the chicks. I do have 2 brooder boxes. So that I can do.

I don't understand the candling. That why I asked if i could just leave it alone.
If I fiqure right.
I put Ducks in Sunday. So I think I will add chicks this next Sunday. Right?
That way I remove the turner same time. I guess.

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

Congrats on th enew bator!

I don't candle, but thats a big "no no".

Becuase if you don't then an egg can blow up in your incubator, but this has never happened to me.

If you go to the search area and look up "candling" I'm sure you will find some good and informational post.

Best of Luck

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
If you only have the one bator, I would wait a week to put chicken eggs in. Most ducks take 28 days to hatch, while chicken eggs take 21. You don't have to candle them, but it would help to candle around day 10-14, so if there are any bad ones, you can throw them out. But no, you don't have to candle them if you don't want to.

Muscovy ducks take longer than most ducks, about 35 days I believe, and call ducks take around 24 days, but not sure about those.

Just put the chicken eggs in so they are due to hatch around the same time, and there shouldn't be any problem; unless you get another bator for hatching, then just write the dates on the eggs, so you remember when you set them.

Good luck, and happy hatching!!

 

[Fudgie]

Here are a few sites I have found on the subject of raising chicks and incubation. Good luck

Incubation
http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/b6092.pdf

How the egg hatches
http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/explore/embryology/day21/hatching.html

how to candle
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/candling-eggs.php
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8134.pdf best one

 

[CindyS]

I brood baby chicks and ducks together all the time and they are fine. a new duckling is just as fragile as a chick and will not stomp on them. there will be peace and harmony for about a week, then the ducks will start puddling around with the water and will need to be seperated. Usually a duck egg will turn a spotted black or grey color when bad. so if you see one like that be careful!