Incubating

Pics

Mrichard0930

Songster
7 Years
Sep 15, 2016
326
313
201
Hello I recently lost my male Pekin duck to a dog attack he had surgery but did not survive and I’m devastated. My bf bought me an incubator and we are going to try to hatch one of his eggs. They mate all the time so I’m assuming I have hat 2 week window now for her to lay a fertilized egg. So Day one I had her inside with Donald before he passed and that egg she laid inside I put in the incubator did the water fill on one side for humidity and labeled x and o each side turning three times a day. These are my concerns: currently our house is getting cold at night all over so I put the incubator in a tote I filled with hay and blankets I checked with a tool level to make sure it’s leveled because I read it needs to be flat surface but I have a sheet pan in there with a towel on top hoping that is flat enough should I just put it on a table instead to be perfectly leveled? Even if it gets a little cold at night? I already have one egg in there is it okay each day she lays to add another egg or should they all be on same day hatch? If so what do I do about the egg and storing to wait and put all 7 in there at same time ? She is alone now so we’ve been contemplating what to do past two light she slept inside with us but when my bf put her out at 7 am today she laid her egg outside and made a nest. I’m thinking I should do this and was hoping someone could help steer me in right direction because this would really cheer me up if my Donald could live on. This week have her indoors and lay inside so it’s a nice clean egg no soil take them and incubate then week 2 put her back outside in her pen to lay her own eggs and make a nest? I’m just trying to increase my chances as I know my time is short to hopefully hatch one of his eggs. I’m so devastated he is gone forever and I really need this to happen so any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks
 
This is the incubator I forgot to mention eco mini ii
 

Attachments

  • 755525DC-8CD3-4864-B484-B46CD3467145.png
    755525DC-8CD3-4864-B484-B46CD3467145.png
    561.2 KB · Views: 9
I have never hatched duck eggs before and I have never used an Eco mini II either
I'm guessing its okay to leave the incubator on the table, does it have a thermometer so you can tell how warm it is?
I understand you wanting to hatch eggs from that duck I have an old chicken who hatched at my house and I really want to hatch some of her eggs before she dies( Its not the same as yours though)

sorry this post has no useful info but I don't know anything about ducks

@Emmaxx @Pyxis @WVduckchick any help
 
Don't add them each day - like I suggested in the other thread, collect seven or ten days' worth of eggs, then set them all at once. You don't want to be trying to do a staggered hatch, because that will cause issues at the end with the humidity needing to be higher for those in lockdown, but lower for those that aren't, and trying to keep the humidity up while also opening the incubator all the time to turn the others that aren't in lockdown and still need to be turned, etc.

You probably have closer to three weeks' worth of fertile eggs from her, not just two. I once had a chicken hen retain sperm from a rooster for five weeks.

That's a good incubator. Brinseas are very reliable. You could leave it out on the table at night with no issues most likely.
 
Forgot to say, if you're willing to spend a little more money than you did on that Eco, you could take it back to Tractor Supply and exchange it for a Harris Farms Nurture Right 360, which cost $10 more, are fully digital, have an autoturner, and hold 22 eggs instead of the smaller amount that the Brinsea holds. I have one and it works very well and is very reliable.

That way, you could set more of her eggs and have a larger chance of hatching some ducklings.
 
I'm so sorry about losing your Donald :hugs
I'd say same as Pyxis about collecting the eggs and setting all at once. It's nicer for the ducklings if they have hatch mates too, and easier to care for if they are the same age and require the same feed, same level of heat etc.

Do you have a second thermometer and Hygrometer? If not it would be worth getting. I think with it being Brinsea it should hold its temp even if your house is getting cold, so long as its not too extreme (never used a Brinsea but they are meant to be good and I am considering getting one). I would think having to pull all your insulation off to turn eggs, change water, monitor everything you're probably hurting more than you're helping as it needs to stabilise temps which it can't do if it keeps changing around it. Leave it in as stable a room as you can, and have the back up gauges to keep watch.

And I wish you luck, I think it's a lovely thing to do :)
 
I'm curious about the eggs she laid over the last 2 weeks? You could incubate them now! Then let her build a nest if she wants, but if she isn't broody, that could be a waste.

I have 2 Brinsea Octagons, but not the Mini. although I love them, I also bought a Harris Farms, and I really like it too. And it holds more eggs than the mini, so if you would consider trading, that could be a great option!

If you don't want to do that, I would set eggs from last week now (if you still have them), then collect the next set of eggs from her, but replace each one with an older egg, if possible, just to "hold a place" for the good ones you collect this week and keep. Then if she decides to sit, trade the old eggs for the fresh ones. Or make another incubator for the fresh ones if she doesn't. :confused:
 
Don't add them each day - like I suggested in the other thread, collect seven or ten days' worth of eggs, then set them all at once. You don't want to be trying to do a staggered hatch, because that will cause issues at the end with the humidity needing to be higher for those in lockdown, but lower for those that aren't, and trying to keep the humidity up while also opening the incubator all the time to turn the others that aren't in lockdown and still need to be turned, etc.

You probably have closer to three weeks' worth of fertile eggs from her, not just two. I once had a chicken hen retain sperm from a rooster for five weeks.

That's a good incubator. Brinseas are very reliable. You could leave it out on the table at night with no issues most likely.
Okay thank you so what do I do with the eggs I collect? How do I store them safely ?
 
Okay thank you so what do I do with the eggs I collect? How do I store them safely ?

I would put them in an egg carton with the fat end up. Prop one side of the carton up on something so it's tilted and change the propped side once a day. Try to keep them at room temperature. 60 degrees was found to be the best temperature for longterm storing of hatching eggs, but room temperature, around 70 or so, is fine for storing for a week to ten days.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom