Really really fed up :(

[portiaari]

Thanks everyone has been sooo helpful on here, I really really appreciate all their advice. Seems that my poor ducklings just weren't meant to be. I don't really understand why these last 2 died, their airsacs were looking bigger, but their yolks look all blown up and weird shaped. Such perfect little babies

 

[portiaari]

Good luck with this hatch! The thing is all mine were fertile and all lived up until they were due. I've cocked up the humidity by reading the book and trusting the machine. I won't try to hatch any more I can't cope with the stress and the tears. I'm sure you're next batch will be great, lots of luck x

 

[KWAK]

RIGHT AFTER I POSTED ON THIS I STARTED HEARING CHIRPS FROM MY EGGS! AND OTHERS ARE ROCKING! ALOT!!!


Next time i am using the cheat sheet.... printed it off and sat it on the bator

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:

come on duckies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OH and I told ya so..................LOL

 

[KWAK]

hahah aducks and chickens

HATCH!!! lol.... and a peacock lol. all are due to hatch any time now

 

[adrian]

Why don't you try to get a good thermometer and hygrometer, stick them on their own in the incubator (if it hurts you too much right now to put more eggs in, you don't have to), and try to see what your incubator really is at? Babies that die in the last days of incubation... Generally it means you have a problem that is fixable, you just need to figure out what it is. Almost always it's humidity, from my experience... Did you notice that the ducklings seemed swollen at all? With excess humidity, the babies will appear swollen, along with having smaller air cells. From your picture, I have had eggs with air cells about that size hatch successfully, but from the looks of it... I'm thinking that baby was attempting to internally pip, and then died. If your issue is a humidity issue, they will die when attempting to break through the membrane and breathe, as they will be met with a lot of fluid. So, from the looks of it, the air cell was larger due to this process, thus at its largest during the incubation process, but it should have been at least that size prior to pipping, and then would have grown to about 1/3 to nearly 1/2 of the egg during pipping.

My condolences for losing them, though.

It seems you've been through a lot. I know the feeling. Raising birds, or for that matter any animal, is never easy. You lose more than you save in the beginning. But if you learn from your experiences, let them strengthen your resolve rather than weaken it, you can do a lot of good in the future. You have a great incubator from the sounds of it. You just need to figure out what's going on in there and try to fix it.

 

[portiaari]

Thankyou, I did buy the thermometers and the temp is right, I agree that humidity is the most probable cause. I had turned it right down to 20 a few days ago on advice, so was hoping that the airsacs would have a chance to grow. I will get a hygrometer from the chemist today so that I can keep an eye on the correct humidity for the last 3. I feel rotten, like I created the life and then let them down. I'm hoping to get a broody chick or duck to do all the work next time

Thanks again x

 

[happydog]

portiaari - you need to get a cow. Once you've killed a cow by stupidity/neglect/ignorance it seems like birds are a whole lot less stress.

Anyhow, thanks for posting this. It's been very educational for a lot of us. I hope you decide to try it again in the future. I agree there is a VERY steep learning curve. But you know, we don't learn from from our successes, we learn from our failures.

 

[adrian]

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. So many birds eat their eggs, destroy their eggs, unsuccessfully hatch their eggs... There are so many variables even in nature that can cause unsuccessful hatches and even more so, especially with ducklings, death after they hatch. So many mistakes are made when you deal with animals... Especially those particular species that require a lot of care. In the past I've been responsible for deaths not only with embryos in eggs but in newborn birds, young birds... No adult birds as it stands, but there are instances in which I could have done better. Could have done more. Could have possibly saved lives if I'd just thought a little longer, tried a little harder. You mean well: you are not rotten by any means. Like it has been said, there is a steep learning curve and sometimes even our advanced technology lies to us. One of my hygrometers was off around 30% and it lead to a few deaths in ducklings and goslings. Let yourself take a break, get that hygrometer... Try out the broodies if you'd like--sometimes observing nature like that can be incredible--but maybe, some day, give it another go. Good luck.

 

[portiaari]

Hiya, Sadly the next duckling didn't make it to hatch either, this was number 8

I opened the shell up today and was oddly relieved that it hadn't hatched because it was at the wrong end of the egg, at least I don't feel so responsible this time. (unless this is my fault?)
The last 2 are due next thursday, these ones hopefully will hatch because I corrected the humidity a while back. I spoke to the lady at the duck store yesterday and asked her how she always got it so right, she replied that she didn't and that it was a minefield. This year she is trying a different method in the hope that she gets more hatches and she is not going to add any humidity until the last 3 days and then crank it up high.
I want to do these last 2 right. So I've left the temp at 38C and I've left the humidity as low as it can go and it's staying around 25%, I've put the turner back on. Should I just leave them be now until 3 days before they are due and then put the humidity up high?
The incubator is in my kitchen, it's a large airy kitchen but is normally full of dogs and kids etc and it has a condenser tumble dryer in it, would I be better off moving it into a bedroom? Or will the machine do the hard work and keep it dried out as it's hot in there? I'm going to get a hygrometer later so I can keep a closer eye on it.
My friend who owns the rcom has said I can borrow it all summer if I want to try again, but I also have the brinsea mini one and I'm not sure which to use to get better results, any ideas?
Thanks
x