SFDucks Pics - The first few weeks with our ducks - Appleyards, Harlequins & Hookbills

[alfs]

hi & thanks to all replies

I am also using the Janoel 8-48 incubator ( its my brothers and he wants it back) with just 4 chicken eggs in at the moment and an external digital temp + humidity LCD display,
the eggs should hatch a week sat (8 days from now) all going well, I have both channels filled with water and am getting 37c - 38c + 50% humidity, I plan on putting some water on the floor of the Janoel 8-48 on day 18. ( my brother didn't have much luck with it and is going to sell it) , as stated in previous post I ended up with his 5 hens. (he now has no need for the Janoel 8-48 incubator + brinsea advance humidity pump + brinsea ecoglow 20 brooder. ( I am after his ecoglow 20 brooder, maybe humidity pump also)

besides this I purchased the brinsea mini advance after reading good comments on it but cant find much about hatching ducks in one

thanks again for all replies , much appreciated
Alf

 

[alfs]

well got my brinsea mini advance up and running with 6 indian runner duck eggs in there, got them mail order so fingers crossed xxx,
I set them going with 37.5c temp, auto turn set at 45mins, hopefully 50% humidity (1 side of the well filled) + 28day countdown, after 7 days I will candle + switch the periodic incubation cooling on (it says duck + goose 3hour each day ).

may try less my self any info people ????

any help or comments would be helpful if you have tried this with brinsea mini advance thanks

I will hopefully post on my youtube


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmOvyBNfIzDyeyKnxGICPg/videos

 

[WVduckchick]

I think 50% may be too high, but if you check your air cells at day 7, you will still have time to adjust if they aren't losing enough. Good luck!

As far as cooling, I have not done it. But Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends cooling once daily, except for the first week and the last 3-4 days, 5 to 8 minutes per day for the 2nd week, 8 to 10 minutes the 3rd week, and 12 to 15 minutes for the first 3-4 days of the 4th week. In a room with temp 70-75 degrees. Smaller eggs, shorter times. Set a timer so you don't forget them. Repeated overcooling will retard growth and can be fatal.
Edit to add, it is recommended in still air incubators. It does not mention forced air incubators.

Anxious to hear your results from it.

 

[alfs]

I though or should I say presumed I had 50% humidity so I checked it with a digital humidity reader as the brinsea mini advance does not have a humidity display ( shame really).

the reading I got was 33% humidity + 36.2c temp, I made a quick clip on here to show (and hopefully helps others with the brinsea mini advance settings and ease of mind if mine hatch out ok)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmOvyBNfIzDyeyKnxGICPg/videos

thanks for all replies

 

[WVduckchick]

I though or should I say presumed I had 50% humidity so I checked it with a digital humidity reader as the brinsea mini advance does not have a humidity display ( shame really).

the reading I got was 33% humidity + 36.2c temp, I made a quick clip on here to show (and hopefully helps others with the brinsea mini advance settings and ease of mind if mine hatch out ok)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmOvyBNfIzDyeyKnxGICPg/videos

thanks for all replies

33% should give you better results, but 36.2c is too low for temp. Did you check the new thermometer/hygrometer for accuracy? Even new ones out of the box are easily wrong. Test the temperature reading with an ice bath test and the humidity reading with the salt test. These duckies are depending on you

And yes, isn't it a shame that an incubator that expensive does not include a hygrometer? Humidity is an important factor!

 

[alfs]

33% should give you better results, but 36.2c is too low for temp. Did you check the new thermometer/hygrometer for accuracy? Even new ones out of the box are easily wrong. Test the temperature reading with an ice bath test and the humidity reading with the salt test. These duckies are depending on you

And yes, isn't it a shame that an incubator that expensive does not include a hygrometer? Humidity is an important factor!

hi
the setting on the brinsea is 37.5c (99.6 Fahrenheit) is that ok or would you go higher ?
thanks

 

[WVduckchick]

hi
the setting on the brinsea is 37.5c (99.6 Fahrenheit) is that ok or would you go higher ?
thanks

Yes, 37.5-37.6 is fine.... if it stays there and doesn't fluctuate up and down much. I think the Brinsea is fairly constant, but I don't have a Brinsea, and mine fluctuates up and down. I have to set mine on 38.1 because it will go up to that, then drop to 36.8 or so, then the heater kicks back on and goes back up. Cycles like that every 3 minutes or so. Basically you want the most consistent average temperature you can get, nearest to about 37.5. Higher temps will usually cause early hatches, low temps usually cause delayed hatches. (Obviously too high can be fatal, too low they won't grow properly)

 

[alfs]

just candled my 6 indian runner duck eggs and OMG all 6 have veins and I can see them ..getting excited , just hope they hatch
i had to video it

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmOvyBNfIzDyeyKnxGICPg/videos

got them on ebay uk from a seller named wacacta

 

[WVduckchick]

just candled my 6 indian runner duck eggs and OMG all 6 have veins and I can see them ..getting excited , just hope they hatch
i had to video it

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmOvyBNfIzDyeyKnxGICPg/videos

got hem on ebay uk from a seller named wacacta

Very good! Also when they get a little further along, you will also want to candle through the large end, air cell. Watch the growth on the air cells. Here's a good reference chart as to how they should grow.

And here's one on development stages for ducks.

 

[SFDucks]

Well our little ones are about two weeks today. It's amazing how much they have grown in that amount of time. Holding even one of our largest Appleyard eggs side-by-side it's crazy that they ever fit in there.