Questions! First hatch (ducks)

[rachel]

I received 4 khaki campbell eggs that an acquaintance's pet duck was sitting on, but then abandoned on about day 16. Since I don't know the exact date that I'm on (I'm pretty sure within a day, maybe two) I don't know when I should take them out of the egg turner. Will it hurt them if I am off by a day?

Secondly, do I just turn off the egg turner, or do I remove it completely and just place the eggs on the wire mesh on the bottom of the incubator- I assume I take the whole thing out so the ducklings wouldn't get caught up in it...

This is my first hatch, I wasn't planning on hatching anything for another few months, so I'm not totally prepared. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

 

[tfpets]

Hi Rachel,

I dont know if you got any more information elsewhere, sorry if there arent a lot of other responses to your question yet, and I'm no expert either, but here goes....

I believe you take them off the turner at day 26. Most ducks are a 28 day hatch, that would put them off the turner enough days. I dont think one day here or there with the turner on is a problem. Ive seen people tell stories of forgetting their hatch dates and leaving it on the whole time, its just the babies need to settle and may get stuck in the turners if they hatch, I think (I figure it would be like giving birth and/or being born on a slow moving hammock?)

Oh yeah, Khaki Campbell are large eggs, at least mine are. They may take longer to hatch. Have you candled them to see if they are alright?

Take the turner out completely, and this should be your last trip into the incubator except to add water for humidity.

I got this on the duck hatching site, Humidity seems really high to me, but it's for a certain incubator:

Incubation Period Hatching Period
Days 1 through 25 Days 26 through 28
Temperature 99.5° Farenheit 98.5° Farenheit
Humidity 86% 94%
Turns Per Day 3, 5, or 7 Stop Turning

http://www.duckeggs.com/hatching-eggs.html

Good luck! I have one little call duckling that has survived after I took it from it's mom, it is too hot here (106 degrees) and I lost 3 runner duck chicks and 2 other call duck chicks by letting their moms hatch/keep them, plus they arrived just as we were getting ready to leave for vacation? They were not in a protected area (for hens/chicks) and the big ducks knocked them around a bit. I isolated this little one with my chicks for now.

 

[rachel]

Thanks tfpets! It was 110+ here for a long time, so I'm not sure how the mom kept them from cooking. I candled one the night before last and I could see a little movement in there. Today is day 20(?) I'm going to candle all four tonight and try to take pics, I'm not exactly sure, unless I see movement that I'd know if everything is ok. Hopefully the airsac will be the right size, I don't know if I'd be able to tell if it was too big or small.

Do you put the eggs in anything to keep them from rolling around on the wire mesh when they're hatching? Also, I have the hovabator 1588, it has the automatic temperature setting, I'm not sure how to lower it by a degree for the hatch, can anyone tell me the positioning of the little switches for that? Like I said, I wasn't expecting this, so I'm unprepared.

Rachel

 

[tfpets]

Hi Rachel, me again.
I have the 1588 also, and I dont recommend messing with the switches or tempurature as it is very accurately preset and the variance in degree suggested shouldnt be enough to cause a problem, although you could cause a problem messing with your preset switches!
But if you feel like you have to do it, go directly to the GQF site, they have the directions there, look under:

http://www.gqfmfg.com/store/instructions.asp

the 1588 wide range adjustment instructions are at the bottom.

Also, to keep them from rolling around too much at my house, I use that shelf lining stuff, it's kinda rubbery, and you can get it at Walmart or whatever, you'll see it recommended all over in some of the hatching threads for chicks!

Good luck,

Sorry I didnt answer sooner - I was workin outside all day yesterday!

Tina