Questions about hatching Welsch duck eggs - Please help.

[Mykidsloveducks]

I have 2 Welsch Harelequin ducks who created nests right next to each other. One duck started sitting two weeks before the other. I believe the eggs in the nests got mixed up. After 2 ducklings hatched almost two weeks ago the ducks abandoned the nest. I placed the remaining eggs in an incubator. Several had died but two hatched a few days after being placed in the incubator. I expected two others to hatch but they didn't make it. (they had internally pipped but did not externally pip - I think they may have been shrink-wrapped but I am new to this).

I now have 11 eggs left in my incubator. I think they are on day 26 or 27 but I am not positive on the date. At least three have pipped internally (one almost 2 days ago). I hope to hatch out as many as I can. (I don't want to loose them like I did the other two.)

I have a few questions I hope can be answered:

-should I turn the eggs after they have internally pipped?
-how long is too long to wait for an external pip?
-should the incubator be on lockdown?
-what is the best temperature & humidity settings? (I am trying to keep the temperature at around 100 degrees and humidity has been around 60% - but having difficulty keeping humidity at a constant %)

Any advise would be appreciated. (I am including pics of two of our ducklings.)

 

[nchls school]

It sounds like you have been candling the eggs. Each time the incubator is opened the humidity and temperature changes. This can result in chicks/ducklings dying in the shell. My advice is to leave the incubator closed (lockdown) and be patient.

 

[Mykidsloveducks]

So I've kept my incubator locked down. I have been gone all day and came home to find that 3 eggs have pipped externally! Super excited!

My problem is that my humidity had dropped to 45%. I quickly added water through a straw and it shot up to 95%. I'm having issues keeping my humidity constant. Any suggestions?