Please tell me everthing you know about incubating

[Khaki mama]

Hi, I am going to incubate a couple of duck eggs and I have never done this before and I don't know much about it. Any tips on how to do it would be very appreciated.
Thanks

 

[MGG]

Hi, I am going to incubate a couple of duck eggs and I have never done this before and I don't know much about it. Any tips on how to do it would be very appreciated.
Thanks

I think it would take me years to write it all down. Do you have any specific questions? Make sure you have several calibrated thermometers and hydrometers that are accurate. What type of incubator are you using?

 

[Khaki mama]

Do I give the food and water after they hatch?
What do I need to mark on the egg?
Is lock down whe you put them on the hatching tray?
And what are the odds of hatching females?

 

[MGG]

Do I give the food and water after they hatch?
What do I need to mark on the egg?
Is lock down whe you put them on the hatching tray?
And what are the odds of hatching females?

1. After they hatch, they can go 48 hours without food or water because the yolk gives thrm all the nutrients they need. That's how people can ship young chicks. I offer water when they make it to 24 hours old. Do not force them to drink before that, they will aspirate and die. Once they make it to 24 hours, I pick them up and dip their bills in the water. Once they make a swallow motion with their mouth, tip them up and sit them down. When you offer feed, get some Purina Flock Raiser or some feed formulated for ducklings. I offer feed when they are 2 days old. Make sure they have drank water before you offer food. For bedding lay down paper towels over wood chips for the first 3-4 days or until they will eat out of a feeder. Otherwise they'll gorge themselves on bedding. To feed them, sprinkle some crumbles on the paper towels and pick at them with your finger to interest the ducklings. Try to get them to pick at them. Don't worry if they don't eat much right away. As long as they are eating well by 4 days old you're good. Once they know what the food is, put in a feeder instead of sprinkling food. Make sure you still have paper towels down. Once they are eating out of the feeder, you can remove the towels.
2. I mark the air cells, you candle the eggs and have someone trace on the air cell line. You can write numbers on the eggs so you know which egg is which. For example, egg 1 and egg 2. If you are manually turning them (only if your incubator doesn't automatically do it) you write an x on one side and an o on the opposite side, so you know what side to turn them to.
3. Lockdown is when you stop turning the eggs, usually 3 days prior to hatch day. For chickens day 18, ducks day 24, etc. You up humidity to 65-70%, put them on a hayching tray or something, and most importantly, do not open the incubator! Hence the name "lockdown".
4. Its the luck of the draw. Some people have hatched all boys or all girls. Most get a mixture. When I incubated Bobwhites I got 5 girls and 5 boys. It was perfect. I usually get more males than females though.

 

[MGG]

Sorry for any typos, I wrote that on my phone.

 

[Khaki mama]

1. After they hatch, they can go 48 hours without food or water because the yolk gives thrm all the nutrients they need. That's how people can ship young chicks. I offer water when they make it to 24 hours old. Do not force them to drink before that, they will aspirate and die. Once they make it to 24 hours, I pick them up and dip their bills in the water. Once they make a swallow motion with their mouth, tip them up and sit them down. When you offer feed, get some Purina Flock Raiser or some feed formulated for ducklings. I offer feed when they are 2 days old. Make sure they have drank water before you offer food. For bedding lay down paper towels over wood chips for the first 3-4 days or until they will eat out of a feeder. Otherwise they'll gorge themselves on bedding. To feed them, sprinkle some crumbles on the paper towels and pick at them with your finger to interest the ducklings. Try to get them to pick at them. Don't worry if they don't eat much right away. As long as they are eating well by 4 days old you're good. Once they know what the food is, put in a feeder instead of sprinkling food. Make sure you still have paper towels down. Once they are eating out of the feeder, you can remove the towels.
2. I mark the air cells, you candle the eggs and have someone trace on the air cell line. You can write numbers on the eggs so you know which egg is which. For example, egg 1 and egg 2. If you are manually turning them (only if your incubator doesn't automatically do it) you write an x on one side and an o on the opposite side, so you know what side to turn them to.
3. Lockdown is when you stop turning the eggs, usually 3 days prior to hatch day. For chickens day 18, ducks day 24, etc. You up humidity to 65-70%, put them on a hayching tray or something, and most importantly, do not open the incubator! Hence the name "lockdown".
4. Its the luck of the draw. Some people have hatched all boys or all girls. Most get a mixture. When I incubated Bobwhites I got 5 girls and 5 boys. It was perfect. I usually get more males than females though.

Thanks I'll keep that in mind

 

[MGG]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind

You're welcome!