DuckityLove77
Chirping
Hi!
My 11-year-old daughter and I are new and posting together here as we try for the first time to hatch Rouen ducklings! We are using a Genesis Hova-Bator styrofoam incubator with a fan. We have spent hours over the past weeks reading in the learning center, printing articles, reading forums and want to THANK YOU for sharing information that we have already applied – especially @WVduckchick, @Ravynscroft, @pete55, @Sally Sunshine, @Miss Lydia, @casportpony and so many others I can’t list them all.
We bought Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks, and followed the initial recommendation of 99.5 degrees Farenheit and 55% relative humidity. A local duck farmer provided us with 28 Rouen duck eggs, 23 were fertile, and we lost 1 egg in the first week. As of Day 24, in candling we saw good blood vessels and movement in all 22 remaining eggs. 4 of the eggs showed attempts at internal pips while we candled – which was so exciting!
What we discovered over the last week through candling was that the air sac was not large enough, so we removed all water from the trough, but misted once a day. There was definite progression in the size of the air sacs, but now at Day 24 most eggs have air sacs measuring about a Day 21 size of development. I’m including a photo, but am not sure how well it shows the pencil markings of the air sacs.
What is your recommendation for humidity during lockdown? My understanding is that the humidity affects how rubbery or easily penetrable the air sac is for the internal pip and that is of utmost importance for duckling success. However, I also read that high humidity is a must for the last days during lockdown.
I would love for an experienced eye to look at these eggs and provide a recommendation.
Thank you in advance!
My 11-year-old daughter and I are new and posting together here as we try for the first time to hatch Rouen ducklings! We are using a Genesis Hova-Bator styrofoam incubator with a fan. We have spent hours over the past weeks reading in the learning center, printing articles, reading forums and want to THANK YOU for sharing information that we have already applied – especially @WVduckchick, @Ravynscroft, @pete55, @Sally Sunshine, @Miss Lydia, @casportpony and so many others I can’t list them all.
We bought Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks, and followed the initial recommendation of 99.5 degrees Farenheit and 55% relative humidity. A local duck farmer provided us with 28 Rouen duck eggs, 23 were fertile, and we lost 1 egg in the first week. As of Day 24, in candling we saw good blood vessels and movement in all 22 remaining eggs. 4 of the eggs showed attempts at internal pips while we candled – which was so exciting!
What we discovered over the last week through candling was that the air sac was not large enough, so we removed all water from the trough, but misted once a day. There was definite progression in the size of the air sacs, but now at Day 24 most eggs have air sacs measuring about a Day 21 size of development. I’m including a photo, but am not sure how well it shows the pencil markings of the air sacs.
What is your recommendation for humidity during lockdown? My understanding is that the humidity affects how rubbery or easily penetrable the air sac is for the internal pip and that is of utmost importance for duckling success. However, I also read that high humidity is a must for the last days during lockdown.
I would love for an experienced eye to look at these eggs and provide a recommendation.
Thank you in advance!
