My duck eggs hatching early!?!? Did I do something wrong?

[Bsranch3]

Quick update. He's still with us, which I wasn't expecting. Still laid in the same place, but it seems like he's twitching? Haven't had him out to look at the sac yet, as I've already had to open the incy this morning to taken out a duckling that hatched overnight!!! He is so tiny compared to the new one.

I'm glad he is still toughing it out! Congrats on the overnight hatch! Must post a pic;-) this is my little Outtie:

 

[dawnh]

Awwww, bless! Glad he's okay!

 

[dawnh]

Fluffing up nicely

 

[WVduckchick]

Such cute little fuzzies. Congrats all!

 

[Bsranch3]

Fluffing up nicely

Awesome!

 

[Bsranch3]

So my remaining 14 didn't make it... They had the evil blobs.
I know it was due to some error on my part and need to correct it.
I don't have too long, gotta head to work. But I have questions and concerns about batch #2.

 

[dawnh]

Oh no

Poor you

My little one that had broken his vein didn't make it

With all the palaver with Preemie, he kind of got put on the back burner, and when I checked him this afternoon there was no tapping or cheeping. I eggtopsied him, and he was perfect

He just couldn't break through and ran out of air. I feel so guilty

Preemie is still with us

I'm not getting my hopes up though (or trying not to anyway!).

@Lacrystol I gave him some sugar water today, is that ok? His yolk sac doesn't look to be going down though?

 

[Bsranch3]

@dawnh, yeah it's rough, I feel guilty too... I have another incubator with 41 in it. Haven't candled lately. Last we did they were very much alive. I want to make sure I have all my facts straight for their hatch date. Soooo.....

@all you Jedi masters:
Second batch. Incubator has 41 eggs in an egg turner. Temperature is at 99.5°, humidity is at 50-55. Both red plugs are in. (They were started in the incubator on March 31st, so that would make today day 20 correct?) I am to put them on lockdown on the 26th. Which is when I take them out of the turner and lay them on their sides. I am not supposed to open the incubator until? And I am supposed to raise humidity when? And is there anything else I am forgetting? I would like to be better prepared. And I did what was told by other sites and other people and it obviously was incorrect somewhere! I don't wanna lose any more babies than nature intends. Not to my shortcomings anyway.

Much thanks to you guys!

 

[casportpony]

You might want to think about lowering your humidity for the next 6 days, 'cause 50-55 seems kind of high. Regarding the plugs, maybe remove those now? Neither of my bators have plugs so I can't really comment on when one should remove them.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here:
Quote:

http://www.poultry.uga.edu/extension/tips/documents/03 01 HB tip J M M.pdf

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural by-product of metabolic processes during embryonic development which begins during gastrulation. In fact, CO2 is being released through the shell at the time the egg is laid. Carbon dioxide levels increase within the setter and hatcher when there is insufficient air exchange. Younger embryos have a lower tolerance to CO2 than older ones. The tolerance level seems to be linear from the 1st day of incubation through the 21st day. During the first 4 days in the setter, the tolerance level to CO2 is about 0.3%. Carbon dioxide levels above 0.5% in the setter reduce hatchability somewhat, levels above 1% reduce hatchability significantly, and levels above 5% are lethal. Hatching chicks give off more CO2 than embryos in eggs, and their tolerance level in the hatcher is about 0.75%.
-Kathy