MAY Hatch-Along!!!! Let's do this!!!

[wordgirl]

mrgreenjeans -

Congratulations on your Mallards! Yes, certainly post pictures when you get a chance!

Ilovemyduckies - so glad that your eggs are doing well! Mine are getting so dark it's getting hard to see in there. Tonight I looked at one while I was checking air cells and at first I wasn't sure whether it was alive or not because it did't move, but I turned it around and could seat a heartbeat, so hopefully all is well!

11 more days, 11 more days!

That reminds me - anyone know why ducklings take a week longer than chicks to hatch?

toadbriar - I hope you get some goslings! That would be fun and adorable!

 

[wordgirl]

Well, I am trying again, I just lost most of my April group last few days (see my post on "late incubator deaths). I did get 3 healthy babies, 2 runners and a Hookbill. I still have a few left in that Hovabator I am not sure of f or a couple days and one has movement.
So My second incubator has a staggered group of 2- 8 each. of Runners and Hookbills (from my Holderreads SQ birds).The first are due about the 2-3 of June,(if they are alive)I took them out of other incubator of the "lose" group 2 days ago and added 8 fresh eggs. I am raising humidity to 50+ and temp to 101 -102. And Only pencil marks this time. (I also have some eggs under my mini-ducks, JIC

Hi mominoz! I'm glad you joined us - I'm so sorry you lost so many eggs!

Hopefully this hatch will go much better. I wonder if the humidity was what caused it - 45% is low for ducks, I think (although I'm not an expert), although it's not extremely low. It might also have been the low temperatures a few days ago - I've read in the Storey's Guide that steady temperature in the last five days is very important. I'm so sorry, though! I would be so devastated to get so far and then lose so many! I'm glad you have three that made it, but I'm sorry about the others!

Hookbills are cool - aren't they rather rare in the states? Wasn't it Holderread who got the first ones in the U.S.?

 

[wordgirl]

I rescued an egg last week from being hit by a car, it apparently got kicked out of the nest which im now thinkin was an accident because its alive and well and started moving alot yesterday.when i got it it resembled day1 or day 2 so its about a week old. Im thinking its either one of our pekins, or some other type we have in our pond or the wild mallards. if its a mallard ill let it free to be cared for by the others if i can once it hatched. if not, ill raise it to adulthood then let it free into our pond. (; wish me luck! first time hatcher.

Hi thorneinmyside! Thanks for joining us! We've got a number of first-time hatchers here (myself included

), which is wonderful! It'll be fun to find out what comes out!

And

!!! I hope you come to love it here as much as I do!

 

[wordgirl]

I'm kind of late to the party but I have 19 Muscovy eggs in the incubator and are due to hatch a week from today, the 27th. My ducks nest dump so the nests fill until one of the ducks claims the nest and starts sitting. This nest nobody claimed and they started laying in a new nest so I took the 25 eggs. After candling at day 10 6 were infertile and discarded.

Hi WillsC! Nope, you're not late at all! Thanks for joining us! Can't wait to see your baby 'Scovies!!!

, too! Welcome to this wonderful chicken-and-duck-and-lots-of-other-animal-lovers-community!

 

[DrChickenKev]

My ten hatched Friday night

So I've patched up the old shed with gauze to prevent rats (hopefully) and here they are...

 

[fowllover]

My ten hatched Friday night

So I've patched up the old shed with gauze to prevent rats (hopefully) and here they are...

How incredibly sweet!

 

[fowllover]

Well This week we have chickens in lock down. One way from today I start lock down with more chickens and ducks.

I am down to 11 duck eggs (Welsh egg was infertile) I am pretty sure that one of the call duck eggs is gone as well but have left it in there.

 

[mominoz]

Diamond88, your humidity is too low, should be 50-60% at least, I found out hard way....

 

[Diamond88]

Diamond88, your humidity is too low, should be 50-60% at least, I found out hard way....

 

I thought that too, but I lowered my humidity down from 55% last week because my air cells were too small. I read that lowering the humidity makes the air cells bigger. Hmm...what should I do? Lockdown is Friday and I'm planning on raising the humidity to the 70-80% range. What's the best temperature for lockdown?

 

[QuailGuy88]

WOW, I'm sure surprised to see all the folks that are setting eggs in may.

And I'm excited to be one of them

I have 10 Mexican speckled quail and 2 Coturnix Quail (my favorite) set in my tiny home-made bator.

I'm hoping to also get some chicken eggs set by may 27 in a store bought incubator to hatch out on fathers day.
Hopefully my parents will allow it

fingers crossed

I don't have a store bought bator yet and was still shopping around for one, I was leaning towards the hova bator without the turner
(I think it fun to turn them) Any recommendation?

BTW
I only plan on hatching once in a while so any think under $70$ is acceptable.