Muscovy keepers share your pics!

[casportpony]

Okay and I know it's not really muscovy related but I'm incubating a mallard Rouen hybrid egg and it's been in a class room incubator like u know the kind with really bad temperatures and u have to turn it twice a day well it's been in that incubator for around I want to say14 to 18 days, and the embryo hasn't grown much but it's alive , and so I moved it to my incubator that turns hourly on Thursday and I candled it and now the embryo looks a lot bigger like it's at the point where it's almost ready to internally pip, I don't know if that's possible but I know what I saw, could it be possible that I didn't candle it right before I moved it? And is it safe that I'm putting the egg in an incubator with a higher temp ( the small incubator was on like 80 or 90 degrees and now it's on 99.5) or did the classroom incubator just store the egg and put it in a state of stability till it was ready to be incubated. I don't know if that this paragraph makes since because of the sentence structure , since I'm not trying to use school right now.

Was the classroom incubator still air or forced air? Forced air incubators should be set at 99.5 and still air should be set at 102, I think.

Source: http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/fitfan.html
Temperature

Most avian species incubate best at a mean temperature of 37 to 38°C (98.6 to 100.4°F)
Waterfowl are best kept at 37 to 37.5°C (98.6 to 99.5°F). In forced draught incubators this
would be the temperature indicated on the thermometer.

In still air machines the temperature indicated would depend on the position of the
thermometer, which is quite critical - so follow the instructions carefully about adjusting the
height. It will also depend on the construction and temperature gradient in the incubator, so
again, follow the instructions.

In the absence of instructions set the thermometer just clear of the top of the eggs and run the incubator at an indicated temperature of 39 to 39.5°C (102.2 to 103°F).
It is important to appreciate that no incubator has perfect temperature distribution. Heat losses
from the cabinet must be balanced by heat provided by the heater.
The process of transferring heat from one to the other necessarily involves a temperature drop
- even with a fan- and this drop will mean that some eggs are warmer than others.
To keep these differences small, operate the incubator in warm, steady conditions.
Ideally use a thermostatic electric convector heater to maintain a steady room temperature of
20 to 25°C, day and night.


-Kathy

 

[Buck Oakes]

I dont really know it had a lightbulb for heat, and like i know the set temps and all that but like do u think it was stored while it was on that temp because I couldn't make it any warmer, so like do u think the egg will live through the change of conditions it seems to be doing well but over all do u think it will live

 

[casportpony]

If it was exactly like the one in post #7387 , that's a Brinsea Mini Advanced

http://www.brinsea.com/products/mini.html
The three versions of the Mini give a wide choice of convenience, sophistication and price
but all provide the essential environmental control necessary for successful egg hatching.
The clear walls of the egg chamber mean fantastic visibility of the hatching eggs without lifting the lid and the fan-assisted design coupled with detailed airflow analysis results exceptionally even heating of the eggs.

Maximum egg Capacities (approx)
Quail 12 24
Pheasant 12 12
Hen 7 10
Duck 7 8

The Mini Eco holds 10 hens eggs (or equivalent) and provides the fine temperature control to ensure consistent and reliable hatches. Temperature is monitored on a purpose built liquid-in-glass thermometer and although factory set, the electronic temperature control allows fine tuning of the temperature setting if required.

The Mini Advance version provides automatic egg turning with autostop 2 days prior to hatching, countdown to date-of-hatch, periodic cooling and temperature alarms on its digital display so you always know the status of your hatch. Eggs are turned by rotating egg disks. Two disks are available, one for 7 eggs of all sizes up to duck (supplied as standard) with a second small egg disk holding 12 eggs up to the size of pheasant available as an optional extra.

Humidity is provided for with central water reservoirs in both models and both operate at low voltage (from mains adapters supplied) for safety.
Technical Specification
Weight Eco - 0.85Kg (1.9lbs)
Advance - 0.95Kg (2.1lbs)
Power
Consumption 18 Watts Max,
12 Watts typical average
Dimensions
H x D 165 x 222 mm
(6.5” x 8”)
Electrical supply 220/240V 50Hz or
115V 60Hz as specified

The Brinsea

Mini Eco and Mini Advance incubators are designed to use for the education of children although they are not toys and should be used only under adult supervision.
In order that we continue our policy
of innovation and improvement we
reserve the right to alter the
specification without notice.
Brinsea

Mini incubators are subject to
Registered Community Design
Application Number 001130082
Advance control system

The Brinsea

Mini Advance incorporates digital micro-control which allows the user to manage incubator functions via a simple menu on the digital display. In normal operation the display shows incubation temperature, days to hatch and turning status. Opening the menu allows the user to adjust incubation temperature, the unit (°C or °F), turning interval, turning angle, number of days your eggs take to hatch and high and low temperature alarm limits.

 

[Buck Oakes]

Yeah I have a Brinsea mini advance and I don't think your understanding my question.
Like I stored the egg for more than 10 days , do u think it'll live

 

[casportpony]

I am confused... Is this the egg that was in the classroom incubator?

-Kathy

 

[Buck Oakes]

Yes it's that egg that was in the class room incubator. I've read in my duck raising book that a classroom incubator can be used to store eggs which that's what I tried to do but I accidentally stored it for more than 10 days which I'm not supposed to do

So I transferred the egg to my Brinsea incubator and the embryo looks like it grew two phases in two days , so really two questions

1. Is it possible for it to grow that fast if under extreme conditions

2. Will it live even though I stored it for more than 10 days

 

[casportpony]

What temperature was the egg stored at?

-Kathy

 

[Buck Oakes]

I don't know exactly but it was between 75° and 90° F

 

[casportpony]

I don't know exactly but it was between 75° and 90° F

Anything above 70 and incubation starts, so you weren't storing them, you were incubating them at way too low a temperature. More questions.

1. Were they on their sides?
2. Were they turned?

Source: http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/storage.html
HELP & ADVICE -
Storage and Handling of Eggs Prior to Incubation
The quality of the chick all depends on the quality of the egg. It is essential that care is taken in the storage and handling of the eggs.

It must be emphasized that the eggs cannot be improved once laid, and will only deteriorate with poor storage and handling. The following factors will help to ensure an egg is of best
possible quality:-
NOTE: - Eggs should be stored with pointed end down.

• Temperature
  Ideal storage temperature is between 12ºC and 15ºC (50 – 69ºF). Too high a storage temperature and reactions will occur at the wrong rate. This will decrease the chances of the embryo developing normally. If storage temperature is below freezing the cell structure of the egg can break down and prevent the embryo developing.
  
• Humidity
  The best humidity level at which to store eggs is between 75 to 85% RH to avoid significant drying out of the egg before incubation.
  
• Time in Storage
  It is generally considered that eggs should not be kept for more than 7 days prior to incubation. Beyond this time chances of hatchability decrease considerably. Vitamins decay and membranes breakdown in time and so the embryo can often suffer early mortality.
  
• Cleanliness
  Cracked, mis-shaped and heavily soiled eggs should be discarded (if possible). Soiled eggs may be cleaned using a brand egg wash solution such as Brinsea
  
  Incubation Disinfectant Concentrate following the manufacturer’s instructions. It is essential to wash eggs in solution which is significantly warmer than the egg so that water in the egg flows out through
  the pores rather than dirty water flowing inwards. Bear in mind that all solutions will remove the outer cuticle from the egg as well as the dirt and may leave the egg at greater risk from bacterial contamination in the future.
  
• Turning During Storage
  Eggs should be turned once a day, 45 degrees each day, back and forth through 90º during the storage period. Insufficient turning can cause the yolk to float and touch membranes near the shell. If the embryo touches then it may stick and prevent growth once inside the incubator.
  
• Handle Eggs Carefully
  Eggs should be handled with care as any bumping may rupture the yolk membranes, in which case the egg will not hatch. Care should also be taken during incubation, whereby a bump can rupture blood vessels causing the chick to bleed to death.
  
• Collection of Eggs
  Generally the best time to collect eggs is before 9am, and to check again at lunchtime. Eggs left in the nest for much longer than 24 hours tend to be poor hatchers.
  
• Egg Shape, Shell Texture and Quality
  Some naturally misshaped eggs have lower than expected hatch rates. Undersize eggs often have a large yolk in proportion to the albumen. Large eggs can sometimes be ‘double yolkers’ which will not hatch. Misshaped eggs usually have faults in the shell. It is important to remember that in natural circumstances eggs warm up quite slowly. Incubators often warm up quickly, and so if placed in the incubator immediately the egg may suffer some thermal shock. If possible, the eggs should be brought up to temperature slowly.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

So, if you were "storing" them between 75° and 90° on their sides, for *any* amount of time, I'd say you're lucky that they're alive and you'll be really lucky if they hatch.

-Kathy