incubator brand ? and chicken Moms brooding duck eggs ?

[rarebreedeggs4u]

Does anyone have any reviews on David Bradley redwood incubators? A local gentleman has one for sale for $250.00 supposedly in good working condition.

Also, I put 18 runner duck eggs in the incubator last Sunday, and then gave them to a broody RIR and Cochin on Thursday. The girls are determined to stay in the metal nestboxes. I tried moving them and the mixed breed eggs they were on, but they got up and stayed up until I turned them loose. Then both went straight back to new eggs in the nestboxes. I let them settle a few days, then blocked off the other holes on the bottom levels, leaving them with only those two holes to choose from. I then replaced "their" eggs with the duck eggs, 9 each. So far, they're staying on them.

Have many of you had success with chicken broodies having successful hatches with duck eggs? Both hens have successfully brooded, but only one has raised her babies. The other hen's eggs were ready to hatching in Jan, when they weather was in the teens to below zero, so I took them at the end and they hatched in the incubator.

I also have a Silkie hen sitting on several duck eggs. Those are due May 10

She was sitting on NOTHING, so I took avantage of her dedication~LOL

Thanks in advance

 

[jbear]

I just had 3 call duck eggs (of the 8 I set under two silkies) hatch out Monday and Tuesday.. One zipped the shell, but didn't make it out.. the other 4 didn't even pip... and they were all fertile. I have been reading and reading about getting a successful duck hatch from under hens.. one of my books (a Storey book) says that some people actually dip the eggs in warm water then replace back under the hen during the later part of incubation... I have 8 more eggs set under two more hens--they are due about the same time as yours.. I was going to try this, or at least spritz them daily with warm water.... I am not sure about actually immersing the egg in water, I would be nervous the temp would be wrong or something.. I don't know...
I hope someone else also adds to this, because I am learning as I go!

Good luck and happy hatch!

on a funny note--the two hens are both raising the 3 ducklings-- I tried putting one hen back in with the main flock yesterday and she was ALL stressed out, calling for her babies.. so I put her back. You could see her sigh of relief.. lol! "o-there you all are!"