New to Hatching

[duck mom newbie]

Hi All, I am new to hatching duck eggs, as well as a new duck owner. I have 2 styrafoam incubators set up, but some of my eggs are due as much as 2 weeks ahead of the others. so do I try to consolidate the ones that are due closer together? And what is this lock down? I have the candling down pretty well I think and I turn my one bater 2x a day, the other has a turner. Any hints or tricks you can share would be great!!
Thanks ahead of time.

 

[blucoondawg]

The best way to have multiple hatch days is to have a seperate incubator to use as a hatcher, move the eggs into the hatcher at day 18, which is what they call lockdown time and replace those eggs with another set in the other incubator, that way you can just keep going moving groups of eggs to the hatcher as they hit day 18.

They call it lockdown to emphasize the fact that during the hatch you need to boost the humidity and keep the incubator closed or 'locked down' so you don't release the much needed humidity by opening the incubator and causing chicks to get stuck in the shell because the membranes may dry out

 

[duck mom newbie]

Is 18 days for ducks too? I thought they were in the incubator for 28 days.

 

[blucoondawg]

Chicks are 18 days ducks are longer