Need BIG help hatching duck eggs, please!

[redhen]

Okay....heres whats going on....someone offered me duck eggs to hatch and was also kind enough to lend me her incubator...*i have to pick it up from her still*..(i think it is a LG?)...the eggs are in the mail..(i think)....so, my question is....EVERYTHING!..

..i dont even know how to turn a incubator on...or anything at all!...this is all very spur of the moment(but i'm happy!)....or i would have had more time to research about this....so..please help me!...do i wash the eggs?...do they lay on their side?..or big end up...or down....what temps/humidity do i need?..do i turn them every day?..thanks for any help!, Wendy

 

[redhen]

also..i would appreciate any duck hatching info links you could send me....

 

[justusnak]

What a great friend! OK, for the incubator. Plug it in...put the water in the tray...and let it sit for at LEAST 2 days. WATCH the temps and humidity. Make sure they are staying at a safe level. Incubation for the eggs is 28 days. When using an incubator the temperature should be 99.5 °F at 86% humidity for days 1-25, and 98.5 °F at 94% humidity for days 26-28.
When the eggs get there, let them rest on the counter, in an egg carton, fat end up. They need to acclimate to the temps, and settle the air sacks, for at least 24 hours. If the bator has a turner...for duck eggs...put them in fat end up. If no turner, lay them on thier sides..mark them with an X on one side, and an O on the other. Remember, turn them at LEAST 5 times a day. When I did duck eggs, I would have a spray bottle, and lightly mist the eggs once a day. Would be just like if momma duck got up for a swim, and returned with a wet belly. GOOD LUCK on your hatch..Oh, and what breed of duck!?

 

[redhen]

Hi..thanks so much justusnak!...i think they are pekin/crested....i am excited and scared about this at the same time.....i think i am picking up the bator tomorrow...so, set them fat end up?..is that where the air cell is located? the fat end?..sorry i really have no clue about any of this!...

..i was up all night trying to google info,...

..couldnt really find anything that great for info though...so, thanks for helping me with this!, Wendy

 

[CindyS]

First of all RELAX. Take your time getting to know the setting control on the incubator. Find a good level spot with steady temps in a low traffic area for the incubator.Make sure you have a good thermometer!Plug it in, add water to 1 channel in the bottom Run the incubator for 2 days and make sure the temp is correct 99.5 if it has a fan, 101.5 if no fan. Humidity for the first 25 days should be around 55%, turn 3 to 5 times a day. Mist 1 to 3 times a day at turning. Day 25 add water to 2 channels in the bottom. Do not turn any more, and wait.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I just hatched some ducks in my LG, and this is how I did it...

1) The bator was in my bathroom, for the extra humidity.
2) I had to fill ALL 3 water channels to get the humidity anywhere near the recommended 70%, plus add 2 wet sponges to the bator.
3) I laid them on their sides, since in the turner they seemed to high.
4) I kept the temp at the top of the egg between 99-101, usually right around 100 (these ducks still hatched a day early)
5) I turned them 3 x's a day, end over end (rather than just rolling them) and misted them once a day. Since I had goose eggs in there as well, they also got cooled for 15 minutes a day, which did not hurt them at all.
6) I hatched at 98* and 80% humidity, because I simply could not get the humidity up higher.

Yes the kind of ducks you are referring to take 28 days. You should let the bator run for a few days before adding the eggs. With the LG, once you get it in the 99-101 degree range, leave it alone!! The LG is very sensitive, and just a little bump on the knob can make the temp jump or drop drastically!! And don't worry if the temp goes down when you add the eggs, it will take a while for it to come back up. A general rule of thumb with the LG is to wait a full day after adding the eggs before making any adjustments to the temp. It will also drop when you turn, if hand turning, but it will come back up. Usually once you get the temps set you shouldn't have to adjust it.

When it gets time for the hatch, you will most likely need to add a lot of wet paper towels, socks, and/or sponges to get the humidity to the recommended 85%. I have heard that ducks need to have lower temps days 25-28 (like 98-99*).

Good luck on your hatch!! Remember, there are many people here that are happy to enabl....er,uh....help!

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Hi shelly!..thanks for helping also!..when you say you kept the temp "at the top of the egg" what do you mean?....sorry...

..*dingbat here*..and for rolling the eggs...please explain that to me again...

...and they have to be cooled daily also?...do you take them out of the bator or something for that?...

...sorry to be a pest!....

..thanks again!, Wendy

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:

 

[redhen]

thank you..thank you!..i am going to pick up the bator in the am tomorrow...i will need a temp/humidity gauge...what kind can i get at walmart?...thanks again!, Wendy

 

[shelleyd2008]

Are you going to be hand turning?
There are two types at walmart that do not have the probes (I never have used the probe types). One is made by springfield and one by accurite. I would get at least 2 (I have one of each). 2 would ensure that the other is accurate. Plus the springfield brand one (small&white) is about $6, and the accurite (bigger&dark gray) is about $8. I use the accurite for the temp at the top of the egg thing, but they both read about the same. The smaller one would be about level with the middle of the egg, so you would want to keep the temps closer to 99 than 101.

ETA: The springfield one shows the temp 'to the point' (i.e. 99.5) and the accurite shows just the 'average' (99). The accurite also shows the high/low temp/humidity on the main screen. The springfield one shows these as well, but there are buttons that you need to press to show them.


Oh, and a little tip

When you mist the eggs, make sure to take the thermo/hygrometer out of the bator!!! I goofed and sprayed it by accident one night, I about freaked when it showed the humidity at 99%!!!