Mandarin Incubation Thread

[1lpoock]

My mandarin hen started laying almost a month ago. By now, she has six eggs and she hasn't started sitting. The first one she layed is probably almost a month old so I thought I will just incubate them myself. One has an indent in it, it looks like she poked it with her beak, I hope it is still okay. Anyway, I am using a hovabator genesis, hand turning 3-5 times a day, 99.5 degrees fahrenheit, 65% humidity for the first 26 days, 75-80% the last three. Does this all sound okay, any tips? This is my first time incubating mandarin eggs, I'll keep this post updated with pictures!

 

[Scott]

Maybe I'm not understanding... but are you planning on incubating a mandarin egg that was laid a month ago?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
Sounds perfect, but unfortunately like what Scott was getting at, they are probably done for by now, 2 weeks would be max, but set them to be sure.
Small cracks can still hatch if the membrane wasnt ruptured, a dab of finger nail polish helps seal them to prevent bacteria getting in.
Hope the hatch for you!

 

[1lpoock]

Well I have a total of six eggs. Most of them were laid fairly recently. Maybe two are about 3 weeks old. I figure why throw them away when I could try and incubate all of them, you never know, they could develop. If they don't, then I'll pitch them when I candle.

 

[1lpoock]

Okay here are the candling pictures right before I put them in the incubator. Obviously, the eggs haven't been incubated yet by the mandarin hen. Hopefully some will develop! Also, should I cool and mist or is that not needed?

P.S. The little ring you see in some of the pictures is what I drew on with pencil to correctly turn the eggs.

#1 (the one with the crack)

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

no cooling, If you can keep your humidity that high you're fine, if it wants to run around 50% or so, and you have room, add a mister bottle to the incubator, once or twice a day, lightly spary the hole incubator. This keeps the water the same temp as the air so it doesnt shock the eggs, dont blame you, I'd set them too, never hurts, after 4-5 days, you'll know for sure

 

[1lpoock]

Thanks for the advice, I'll go get a mister right now....do I spray the eggs too when I mist the incubator?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Yep,
I always just misted all of it, the incubator itself, and the eggs, just a light mist though, dont soak them