Incubator and Brooder Questions

[Quacking Pigeon]

Hello I’m planning on hatching a large batch of ducklings out of our Multipo fan-forced incubator. But in the past I haven’t had much luck hatching ducklings out of it, they all end up dying very close to the hatching date.

1. Should the temperature be 37C. And should I allow the eggs to warm up with the incubator for the next batch?

2. Should the humidity be at 75% over the final 3 days of hatching and should I also spray water over the eggs at this time?

3. Do Mallard Domestic breeds get there eggs turned twice a day for the first 25 days of incubation and Muscovies 32 days?

4. And should I candle the eggs 4 days after incubator?

What I plan on trying to hatch are a few dozen of Show quality mallards, a few dozen of Show quality black muscovies, a few dozen of black muscovies, a dozen of mules (I hope) and a dozen or so of mixed eggs (white muscovies, Mallard x, possibly mules). I just want to get prepared for the hatch.

1. Also what is a good commercial kind of brooder design which works?

2. Should the brooder temp be 30C and then gradually reduced by 3C every week?

3. Should the ducklings be able to go out to a run after 3-4 weeks (possibly earlier in summer)?

4. What type of heat lamp and globes should I use?

And that’s all my questions. Thanks for responses.

 

[casportpony]

@Pyxis and @WVduckchick both wrote excellent articles on incubation and humidity.

Edited to add:
@yinepu wrote a Muscovy incubation article.

 

[casportpony]

1. Should the temperature be 37C. And should I allow the eggs to warm up with the incubator for the next batch?

37.5 c is what you want.

2. Should the humidity be at 75% over the final 3 days of hatching and should I also spray water over the eggs at this time?

Read the humidity article.

3. Do Mallard Domestic breeds get there eggs turned twice a day for the first 25 days of incubation and Muscovies 32 days?

Most people suggest turning eggs no less than 3 times a day.

4. And should I candle the eggs 4 days after incubator?

some people do candle that early, but many prefer to do it later.