Planning to hatch chicks.. Exp with duck eggs only

[carcar80]

Hi everyone. I am new to chickens (had them for about a yr now) and want to start planning to hatch some. (Preferably something of a gold-laced persuasion.)

However, I only have experience hatching ducklings (X3 hatches). Now from what I have heard, duck eggs are a bit more fussy than chicken eggs so I can only hope that's true.

Here are my questions, and as a side note I just use a plain old LG still air bator..

1) I have always set duck eggs on their side and hand turned 2-3x/day with fantastic hatch rates. However I almost always see pics of chicken eggs turned on their small end. Is it OK to leave them on their side?

2) is turning 2-3x/day sufficient, or do you really need a turner?

3) Can you get good luck dry hatching, totally? The biggest bother with the duck eggs was the huge amount of humidifying work at the end.. It sure would be nice not to have to do that much!

I'm sure I'll think of other questions, but this is a start. Thanks!

 

[brahmabreeder]

Hi everyone.

I am new to chickens (had them for about a yr now) and want to start planning to hatch some. (Preferably something of a gold-laced persuasion.)

However, I only have experience hatching ducklings (X3 hatches). Now from what I have heard, duck eggs are a bit more fussy than chicken eggs so I can only hope that's true.

Here are my questions, and as a side note I just use a plain old LG still air bator.. Do NOT use still airs. They create uneven heat spots. Add a fan or a buy a circulated air incubator.

1) I have always set duck eggs on their side and hand turned 2-3x/day with fantastic hatch rates. However I almost always see pics of chicken eggs turned on their small end. Is it OK to leave them on their side? Yes a lot of people have them on their sides to turn. Mark one side with a X and one with an O so you know you completely turned it. Do it a minimum of three times a day.

2) is turning 2-3x/day sufficient, or do you really need a turner? I've never used a turner and get fantastic results with turning 3x per day. Make sure your hands are washed before touching them though. The oils on your skin will penetrate the pores and compromise you hatch results.

3) Can you get good luck dry hatching, totally? The biggest bother with the duck eggs was the huge amount of humidifying work at the end.. It sure would be nice not to have to do that much! Not sure. I know some people do that with chicken eggs and don't let the humidity get below like 30% RH by just adding a small amount of water every so often. I always have my chicken eggs at 45% RH and then on day 18 I go up to 65% RH. Duck eggs probably would die on a 100% dry hatch.

I'm sure I'll think of other questions, but this is a start. Thanks!

 

[carcar80]

Thanks very much, brahmabreeder. Do you think just sitting a small regular fan above my bator (toward the air holes) would suffice? I won't be buying a new bator and hubby will string me up if I start buying stuff for this one, lol. I've never had trouble with hot spots before?

 

[carcar80]

Or maybe I've not had trouble with it bc I've kept the bator on a chair in my room, where the ceiling fan is always on?

 

[brahmabreeder]

IDK but you could rig up an old computer fan and stick it in there somewhere.

 

[carcar80]

Ok thanks