Is it okay to lock down duck eggs a day or two early?

[wornoutmomto3]

I put some duck eggs in the incubator a few days ago. Yesterday I found out that I will be going out of town two days before lock down. I will be back before hatch day. I have someone coming to feed the rest of my animals, but they will only be coming over once in the morning and once in evening. Is it safe to lock down the eggs early?

 

[Lacrystol]

If your humidity is at around 55 right now, then don't lock them down, just leave them, let them go threw the process. If you are keeping your humidity at around 30 or lower then just raise it up to 50-55 when your fixing to leave.

Technically Lockdown is a simple word of "DON"T TOUCH". You see mama's and hens really don't know what Lockdown is it's a kind word for us so that we don't mess with the eggs. If you leave them alone you should be OK.

HOWEVER, if one or two of them have a hard time getting out of the shell, the only problem is your not going to be there to help could cause a problem for them. I think as long as you humidity is up to around 50 - 55 they should be OK. I take it you plan on not turning them at that time either, correct. Which will be good then for sure they should be in the Correct position. Hopefully they won't get stupid and be upside down.

Make sure when you stop turning them, the larger end is SLIGHTLY higher then the smaller end, this should help with giving them directions to aim for..and not end up upside down.

 

[Lacrystol]

I put some duck eggs in the incubator a few days ago. Yesterday I found out that I will be going out of town two days before lock down. I will be back before hatch day. I have someone coming to feed the rest of my animals, but they will only be coming over once in the morning and once in evening. Is it safe to lock down the eggs early?

How early are you talking?

 

[wornoutmomto3]

Lock down is day 25 and I need to possibly lock down on day 23.

 

[Lacrystol]

What kind of ducks are you talking about??

 

[wornoutmomto3]

They are Pekin eggs. The soon to be parents are mine as well.

 

[Lacrystol]

What do you have the humidity at right now?

 

[enriquec]

How do they look inside candling? I'm not sure that this will make a difference, or that you'll be able to tell (because I couldn't) but if they look like they're not developing perfectly on schedule, this might influence decisions.

With mine, I didn't know they were off schedule. I really couldn't see them very well of course since they were so developed. But based on air sac, some were too big I thought, some too small. But while I was cooling, and looking at them on Sep 7 (they were due Sep 11) I noticed the first pip. They were on the egg turner still.. I think this may have caused complications, some didn't make it. They all hatched early ultimately, out of their shells 1-3 days early.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but in my case, lock down was late. Maybe if I could ID development better, I would have known?

I'm pretty sure when they're that far along, they're not as sensitive so I'd guess they'd be okay. But if you can, maybe have someone go to your house so they get one turn for two days?

 

[Lacrystol]

How do they look inside candling? I'm not sure that this will make a difference, or that you'll be able to tell (because I couldn't) but if they look like they're not developing perfectly on schedule, this might influence decisions.

With mine, I didn't know they were off schedule. I really couldn't see them very well of course since they were so developed. But based on air sac, some were too big I thought, some too small. But while I was cooling, and looking at them on Sep 7 (they were due Sep 11) I noticed the first pip. They were on the egg turner still.. I think this may have caused complications, some didn't make it. They all hatched early ultimately, out of their shells 1-3 days early.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but in my case, lock down was late. Maybe if I could ID development better, I would have known?

I'm pretty sure when they're that far along, they're not as sensitive so I'd guess they'd be okay. But if you can, maybe have someone go to your house so they get one turn for two days?

Well first of all Duck eggs should not be on a turner unless you have them laying flat, if you have them in an Upright position, that could be why you lost most of them not because they hatched early. Chickens can be on a turner in the upright position but not ducks. I have learned from several years of experience. Now I tape my duck eggs to the turner but they are laying flat.

I have also left my chicken eggs on the turner because I forgot to lock them down and out of 4 eggs, all of them externally peeped and made it out safely that is once I heard my bator making this peeping noise. LOL what a shocker that was..I have actually had one of my chickens zipping while on the turner which was on and couldn't get out because again, I lay all my eggs flat and tape them to the turner well he couldn't get out because of the tape, he didn't have a problem getting that shell off but the tape was to hard for him to get past. Don't worry, I helped him and he's OK.. LOL kind of funny though..

Now all of my chicken eggs do and have hatched 3 days early but my duck eggs will only be 1 maybe 2 days early for some and the rest right on schedule, you should always use your due date no matter what unless you know about Dipping.

Dipping is another great way to tell if they should go into lockdown or not.

 

[enriquec]

Really? I can't believe in never came across the egg turner info while researching. Definitely good to know.