Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

[AnimalQuackers]

More questions - and some advice, please:

I think I blew it by placing the first 15 eggs in the incubator AS they were laid...so they are all at different stages in their development and won't hatch at around the same time! The first three are no good...but #4-15 appear to be. In fact, when I candle #4-#8, I can see movement inside the eggs - am I imaging that? My husband said he can see it, too!

#4 is on day 34 today. The temperature in the incubator remains at 99.5, and the humidity is ranging between 40-50%.

IF I am right, and there is movement in the eggs and the potential hatch is coming, is there anything else I should be doing at this point?

THANK YOU!

 

[casportpony]

I am no expert, in fact my last hatching experience was a complete disaster, but I think you might have some pip and zip problems with your humidity so low, but your hatch is complicated because you have several not locked down yet, right?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I need to re-read this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs

-Kathy

 

[AnimalQuackers]

Hi Kathy!!

Lockdown - can you define that for me, please?

I did read much of your recent post - saw you had 9 hatch successfully! Sounds like you did a lot right! I did not read the entire 33 pages, so not sure what I missed!

I also read the entire post (https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs) . I have been purposely keeping the humidity LOW based on that post. Wondering if I should maybe put damp paper towels around the eggs over 32 days old to help increase the humidity near them...do you think that would help? Also, do I need to stop turning the eggs at some point?

I'm so mad at myself - seems I don't know nearly enough what I am doing to be doing this, and I have several eggs with movement that I certainly want to give the best chance of survival!

Michelle

 

[casportpony]

Please remember that I am a complete novice at incubation... Lockdown is usually the last two days and that's when some will stop turning the eggs and raise the humidity.

-Kathy

 

[AnimalQuackers]

Please remember that I am a complete novice at incubation... Lockdown is usually the last two days and that's when some will stop turning the eggs and raise the humidity.

-Kathy

Well, you certainly know more than I do!

When you say "the last two days" - last two days from WHAT? I can certainly stop turning the eggs older than 32 days - is that right? But I understand that the eggs can take as long as 37 days to hatch...so when do I start counting as "the last two days?"

As for the humidity, UGH! It's at 40-something percent right now...probably good for the "younger" eggs. I will get some damp cotton balls and surround the eggs older than 32 days - does that sound like a good idea?

What would I do without you, Kathy! You are LITERALLY a lifesaver (just ask Silvie!)!!

Michelle

 

[casportpony]

Please, please, please, ask someone more experienced. I am still trying to figure this out. Can you take a picture of #4?

-Kathy

 

[AnimalQuackers]

Please, please, please, ask someone more experienced. I am still trying to figure this out. Can you take a picture of #4?

-Kathy

Thank you Kathy! I am hoping someone else will make some suggestions, too! Maybe I will harass some people privately by PM! I am not confident I can hold the egg, the light, and the camera safely, so when my husband gets home, I will get him to help me take some photos. From what I can see online for "internal pip," I did not see any on ANY of the eggs last night when I candled, but eggs 4-12 ALL had movement!

SIGH!

 

[Lacrystol]

My five week old ducklings are just starting to feather out and I have a large enclosed chicken pen 25x50 and I let my ducks out yesterday from their small pen to run with the chickens while under observation.

Well, all was fine for about a half an hour, everyone behaving themselves, so I went in for lunch. BIG MISTAKE. The chickens pecked my little ducklings darn near to death and I lost one during the night. The wheres and whys doesn't matter at this point, it's done. I immediately put them back in their cage and my 13 year old threated all the chickens with bodily harm and I was not far behind. He's not big on killing anything, but he brought me one that he observed and said "cut its head off!". He was so mad at the chickens for killing one and hurting his ducks.

I regret my actions of leaving them alone with the velociraptors (red sex-link chickens), but I can't undo what is done. I have 9 ducklings that look like they have been in a chicken plucker for awhile and have dried blood on them that I'm afraid to wash off as I may reopen their wounds. I am spraying them twice a day with Vetericyn.

Anybody else ever gone through this?

I know I posted this on another thread, but thought I should keep it all together here.

YES, Roosters will KILL a baby Duck, I have gone through this MANY TIMES, not actually death but injuries like you wouldn't believe... Until the ducklings get feathers they are NOT going to be able to hold there ground. Understand that is THERE TUFF right now (the Roosters), those ducks do NOT belong there. They need to be introduce gradually or as adults where the Ducks can fight back.

As far as the head injuries, you need to clean them, clean them really good. I particually like Blue KOTE, it works great plus it Covers the open wounds so that it's not so Shiny and Tempting for others to peck at or get to.. Vetericyn is good but is See throw and when put on it's glossy so Temptation is there for checking out and can cause more injuries with that glossiness.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you Kathy! I am hoping someone else will make some suggestions, too! Maybe I will harass some people privately by PM! I am not confident I can hold the egg, the light, and the camera safely, so when my husband gets home, I will get him to help me take some photos. From what I can see online for "internal pip," I did not see any on ANY of the eggs last night when I candled, but eggs 4-12 ALL had movement!

SIGH!

This one was a couple days away from hatching: