PLEASE HELP HATCHING DUCKS

[lslauds]

What kind of eggs are you hatching?

Mallards.

When properly incubated your chicks should hatch on or near day 21. If I am counting your days correctly your chicks should be due to hatch tomorrow. Do you have eggs that were set on different days? Why are you counting to day 26? With low temps and the humidity off I couldn't even begin to predict what will happen with any other eggs you are incubating.

Yes I had two, one went rotten, the other started but didn't make it the membrane got to tough. I pnly have the other one now it was set on Thursday the 27th of March. I read my bator manual and it said:
INCUBATION PERIOD: DUCKS, 26-28 DAYS.

SO I assumed it meant that the eggs would pip on the 26th day. Once again, this is my first time trying with a real deal incubator.

What kind of hygrometer are you using? If you added water & sponges it should have went up.

I got it from Petsmart, I think it's actually for reptiles..​

 

[Katy]

If you're hatching ducks you still have a couple days to go. It very well may not pip and hatch until day 28.

 

[lslauds]

I know ducks are very hard to tell when they will actually pip, the last one that died pipped on day 24, so..
But someone said it's suppose to start hatching tomorrow.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I just went back and re-read your posts. You say day 26 won't be until April 23 for your remaining eggg....you have almost a week left before it's even due. When MissPrissy said it was due to hatch tomorrow I believe she was under the impression that you were incubating chicks...not ducks. You need to be sure and state what kind of eggs you've got so people know what to advise you. You need to let it continue to incubate for a few more days before you stop turning it and up the humidity.

 

[MissPrissy]

I am not the only one that thought is was a chicks. Glad I looked here again.

It would be a huge help if everyone made sure to state what kind of eggs they are incubating.

 

[lslauds]

Sorry about that. So what temperature should my still air machine be at? Should I lower the temp once the hatching dates start? Stop turning ON DAY 26?
Also, my hydrometer, I bought it at Petsmart and I think it is for reptiles, but I'm not positive about that. I'm sorry to be like this, but I feel pretty crummy right now, and I don't want to mess up again..

 

[kstaven]

The earlier humidity recommendations where based on the thought you had chicken eggs also. 55% for the first 26 and then boost to 75 - 80% works for me with duck eggs. Be aware that duck eggs can often take up to 32 days before hatching.

 

[waterfowlrescue]

People need to stop helping this person. She is just collecting eggs so she can dump the ducks in a lake. She has no intention of caring for these ducks or keeping them. She probably took the mallard eggs from a wild nest and now she is killing them becuase she has no clue what she is doing. Someone needs to figure out where she lives so we can have the wildlife officer pay her a visit.