Incubating Welsh Harlequins & egg is moving on day 23

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thank you so much for the video! I believe it’s shadowing so I’ll stop turning it. And I’ll continue to candle until I see an internal pip. I’m new to duckling incubation and the information out there is a bit conflicting so thanks for giving your perspective!

Yes internet has so many different ways
With humidity it can be different per area to
Some dry hatch ducklings who live in high humidity areas and they do great but for me
We are dryer here so I run 45 % through incubation
You can take advice from lots of us here with experience and success but then figure out what works best for you and gives you the best hatch rates

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Sounds like what I seen last time I tried candling mine. I couldn't see anything at the opposite side of the airsack at all. So all I could figure to go on if they was still alive was seeing a bit of movement at the edge of the airsack. I had ran at 100.4 up until lockdown myself, and dropped it down 1 degree when I started lockdown, and tried another degree on second day of lockdown, but my incubator seemed to not hold the temperature well there so I increased it back up 1 degree. Kept an eye on temps as they hatched though so if it had started raising I was ready to drop it again. My humidity ended up running above 80% which concerned me, but my incubator has no way to drop it, beyond removing water or flat out opening it and letting some vent that way.

When they hatch out the wet duckling does jump the humidity up
I never worry about that
As long as all vents are open
I also don’t leave them all in till everyone has hatched once there is at least 2 so one doesn’t get lonely and they are up running around I remove them

 

[HennyPenny44]

Sounds like what I seen last time I tried candling mine. I couldn't see anything at the opposite side of the airsack at all. So all I could figure to go on if they was still alive was seeing a bit of movement at the edge of the airsack. I had ran at 100.4 up until lockdown myself, and dropped it down 1 degree when I started lockdown, and tried another degree on second day of lockdown, but my incubator seemed to not hold the temperature well there so I increased it back up 1 degree. Kept an eye on temps as they hatched though so if it had started raising I was ready to drop it again. My humidity ended up running above 80% which concerned me, but my incubator has no way to drop it, beyond removing water or flat out opening it and letting some vent that way.

Does your incubator have an internal thermostat? I’m keeping
it at 99.5 for the first 21 days. May I ask why you do it at 100.4?

 

[Plague]

It has no reading of actual temps, but is a digitally controlled thermostat. I used a separate thermometer which, showed it ran about a degree off. So I used mine to calibrate it and keep track and make sure it stayed where I wanted it. When I tested it, it would drop bellow 99.5 when set at 100, when I set it at 101 it actually ran between 99.5-100.4. I also had read in Storey's book which I got after we had raised a few groups of ducks. In there he says early in the laying season they found when they ran at 100.4 they had a better hatch rate. But as the season went on and eggs got more pouros so they would get a better hatch rate at the lower 99.5 I believe it was something about less porous they didn't dehydrate at the proper rate at the lower temp.

 

[HennyPenny44]

It has no reading of actual temps, but is a digitally controlled thermostat. I used a separate thermometer which, showed it ran about a degree off. So I used mine to calibrate it and keep track and make sure it stayed where I wanted it. When I tested it, it would drop bellow 99.5 when set at 100, when I set it at 101 it actually ran between 99.5-100.4. I also had read in Storey's book which I got after we had raised a few groups of ducks. In there he says early in the laying season they found when they ran at 100.4 they had a better hatch rate. But as the season went on and eggs got more pouros so they would get a better hatch rate at the lower 99.5 I believe it was something about less porous they didn't dehydrate at the proper rate at the lower temp.

Interesting! I didn’t know that. It’s my first batch of ducklings so I’m just doing things as generally advised but in the future, I might do as you do and experiment. I have a small incubator and put 8 eggs in originally. Two never developed and I discarded them but it’s day 25 now and all 6 seem to be alive and moving. I hope all my babies make it to hatch!

 

[Plague]

Interesting! I didn’t know that. It’s my first batch of ducklings so I’m just doing things as generally advised but in the future, I might do as you do and experiment. I have a small incubator and put 8 eggs in originally. Two never developed and I discarded them but it’s day 25 now and all 6 seem to be alive and moving. I hope all my babies make it to hatch!

I didn't either, as I've only read only about the 99.5, had I not had the book and it said that I would have ran at the lower temp myself. This was the first time I had tried to hatch anything myself. I'll say I was pleasantly surprised out of 9 I put in one didn't vein and I removed it. 7 of the rest hatched naturally in it the 8th pipped and I think I didn't give it enough time and assisted it. Sounds like it just wasn't ready, and didn't do well, but seemed to be improving, left it in overnight to dry it was alive at 4:30, but by 7:30 when I got up to get ready to move it out it had passed. The other 7 so far have been doing great in the brooder so far.

 

[Nero70002]

Where'd you get your eggs from? My 3 welshies are arriving tomorrow, so they might be the same age! -/+ A few hours.

 

[HennyPenny44]

Where'd you get your eggs from? My 3 welshies are arriving tomorrow, so they might be the same age! -/+ A few hours.

I got them on eBay from a farm. I wanted to order from a hatchery but it was a bit cost prohibitive for me when you factor in small order charges and such. Plus hatching is so much more fun for me. I’d love to see a photo of your new baby duckies when they arrive!

 

[Nero70002]

I got them on eBay from a farm. I wanted to order from a hatchery but it was a bit cost prohibitive for me when you factor in small order charges and such. Plus hatching is so much more fun for me. I’d love to see a photo of your new baby duckies when they arrive!

Of course! You all will get spammed