No successful hatches with ducks

[Keldatinybob]

I have a still air incubator. I have been having the worst luck hatching. I have more than one reliable humidity gauge (40-45% for 25 days then 55-65% on lockdown), more than one reliable thermometer (99.5 with a small drop one time in the first go to 85 when the incubator was unplugged), I wad hand turning and misting and cooling and most of my eggs made it to lock down and never hatched. I did an eggtopsy and found that they pip internally but never make it out. I tried letting my duck go broody and she did a wonderful job and the same thing happened. The eggs never hatched, I opened them up and the ducklings had pipped internally and died. What is happening how do I fix this? I have a flock of mixed females Perkins, swedish, harlequins, khaki and my male is a runner. They were on a chicken laying crumble before I bought them. Could that be the problem? Also how does everyone feel about automatic egg turners if in incubating duck eggs? I've heard they aren't ideal, but I can't be home to turn they eggs this time around.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

Hmmm. When you opened the eggs, were they very wet? Like lots of moisture still inside the membrane? I incubate at 25-35% humidity until the last few days, but it’s very humid where I live. Your profile doesn’t indicate your location. Welcome! By the way

Feed can definitely be a factor. Shell condition, moisture loss, health of the parents, lots of factors though. I’m surprised the same thing happened with broodies. I assume the eggs were theirs and not shipped eggs? And they’ve been laying for a while, since you have been through two rounds? (Young layers eggs are sometimes an issue)

Check out the Red link in my signature box below (if you are on a phone, you have to turn the phone sideways to see it)
Unfortunately hatching is a lot of trial and error.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...If wanting to hatch Ducks switch feed to a Grower finisher feed and supply Oyster shell in a separate dish once a week. Duck eggs have hard shells to begin with and added calcium makes them even harder to pip through.
Dry hatching Duck eggs almost always fails. The membrane and shell need to remain pip proof..

 

[Keldatinybob]

Maybe they are too wet. I'm not sure humidity here seems to be around 20-30% most of the time. The youngest duck is one year. They seem healthy. I'm not really understanding the second reply. It seems like you are saying the eggs should be pip proof and that's the opposite of what I am going for here. Can you clarify?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I keep oyster shell out all the time and have never had a problem with any eggs not pipping. They need the calcium.