Incubating White Call Ducks

[brewchick]

Quote:
Originally Posted by David1973

You folks seem to have the answers, perhaps you can help me with my call duck incubation problem, several times I have set the incubatorand experienced the same problem. When it comes to hatching them less than 50% emerge. I usually get 50% dead in the shell. When I am sure they have died and open the egg to inspect I find they haven't internally pipped or finished absorbing the yolk sac. It is very demoralising to loose so many potentially good ducklings each time? Any answers? I suffer the same with goose eggs but not with chickens or guineas. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance for your replies,

My website should help www.lwbarnhouse.com click on the duck tab I have two methods that I have used to hatch calls. Right now, I would use Method two from where you are at.

How are you turning them? On a turner? or by hand? Ducks seem to do better if they are laying down...

 

[Lacrystol]

You folks seem to have the answers, perhaps you can help me with my call duck incubation problem, several times I have set the incubatorand experienced the same problem. When it comes to hatching them less than 50% emerge. I usually get 50% dead in the shell.  When I am sure they have died and open the egg to inspect I find they haven't internally pipped or finished absorbing the yolk sac. It is very demoralising to loose so many potentially good ducklings each time? Any answers? I suffer the same with goose eggs but not with chickens or guineas. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance for your replies,
David

What kind of bator? Fan or no fan? Where's you settings at?

 

[Lacrystol]

If I recall you had ZERO luck because you combined two methods into one.... If I remember you had humidity around 50 or 60 and method two doesn't state that at all. You can't combine the two methods that I have on my site..

I am using method two this year only and it's working for me.

I have hard four cases this year of call ducks zipping and giving up half way through.. Yes they are dying as they are zipping. So if this happens I would strongly suggest get that shell off to get there heads as soon as you see them zipping away.

 

[Lacrystol]

Quote:
Originally Posted by David1973 [COLOR=005CB1] [/COLOR]
You folks seem to have the answers, perhaps you can help me with my call duck incubation problem, several times I have set the incubatorand experienced the same problem. When it comes to hatching them less than 50% emerge. I usually get 50% dead in the shell. When I am sure they have died and open the egg to inspect I find they haven't internally pipped or finished absorbing the yolk sac. It is very demoralising to loose so many potentially good ducklings each time? Any answers? I suffer the same with goose eggs but not with chickens or guineas. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance for your replies,

brewchick Have you been able to hatch out any babies, making the correct adjustments as in method two??

 

[brewchick]

Have you been able to hatch out any babies, making the correct adjustments as in method two??

brewchick
We have three babies. We hatched four, lost one.. The weather here has been so crazy we can't seem to keep our temp where it needs to be, so we've lost more than anything. Right now we have a couple ready to hatch any day now and it looks promising. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Lacrystol]

OH YOUR NOT OFF THE HOOK YET!!

Where's pics????

 

[David1973]

Lacrystol and Brewchick - thanks for the good advice - I shall read this guide tonight.

To answer your questions I use a Brinsea Automatic 48DX model incubator - but the digital thermometer has been removed and I use a glass thermometer instead - more reliable. The automatic turning is switched on, perhaps this isn't giving enough rotation? My Temp is 37.2 - 37.5 depending on either calls or geese, its got two fans to circulate the air.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding 'lockdown' at the first external pip I raised the humidity to 55/60. I also check on the eggs by candeling and an old trick my mother showed me - placing the eggs in warm water to see if there is internal movement from within the eggs. Is carefully lifting the eggs the cause? - surely not because everyone else talks about the importance of cooling for 10-15 mins. Should I stop the cooling in the last few days?

best wishes,
D

 

[Lacrystol]

Lacrystol and Brewchick - thanks for the good advice - I shall read this guide tonight.

To answer your questions I use a Brinsea Automatic 48DX model incubator - but the digital thermometer has been removed and I use a glass thermometer instead - more reliable. The automatic turning is switched on, perhaps this isn't giving enough rotation? My Temp is 37.2 - 37.5 depending on either calls or geese, its got two fans to circulate the air.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding 'lockdown' at the first external pip I raised the humidity to 55/60. I also check on the eggs by candeling and an old trick my mother showed me - placing the eggs in warm water to see if there is internal movement from within the eggs. Is carefully lifting the eggs the cause? - surely not because everyone else talks about the importance of cooling for 10-15 mins. Should I stop the cooling in the last few days?

best wishes,
D

OK your temp Is OK, your using a good bator, the only concern would be your humidity and the way you candle. If you have a smart phone down load a free app called Flashlight, this way no dipping in water is involved.

Lockdown is NOT the first external pip. Lockdown is Three days before there due date. That's when you raise your humidity up to about 60-65 could even go 70 but I wouldn't go any higher. 80 will kill them.

Lifting eggs has no affect.

Cooling down, I do not cool my eggs so I see NO Importance to this.. my reason is cooling them down each day Is only going to cause them to be late because now they have to make up for that lost time. Sort of speaking..

Lockdown can also be seen when the Air Cell takes a Dip to one side.

 

[brewchick]

OH YOUR NOT OFF THE HOOK YET!!

Where's pics????

Here is my baby Charlie. She is the newest. I had to hatch her by hand-she was very weak. Kept her with me everywhere I went, along with her heat up panda:

And then there are Sally and Violet. Sally hatched on Easter Sunday, with a little bit of help, and Violet hatched a couple days after with no help.

Here they are cuddling up to "Momma", with their Silver Phoenix brothers and sisters.

Here they all are swimming in our pond.

I also have lots of videos I'm going to upload to YouTube. I'll post the links when I have them.

On another note, as I type this the eldest Silver Phoenix is perched on my neck trying to nest in my hair.

 

[Lacrystol]

OMG, HOW ADORABLE. WOW, good job. your weak one give him some vitamins, he should pull threw.. You have silver Phoenix's Lol, I have a Silver Phoenix rooster and a Golden Phoenis, boy they are pretty and stylish...