Should I lock down duck eggs now?

[Chris93]

My duck eggs are currently on day 23 and the past 24 hours they have been rolling around in the incubator and now I’m starting to see shadows in their air cells. I’m not sure if any have internally pipped yet but it looks like they are trying to. Should I go ahead and lock down now on day 23?

 

[BelovedBirds]

My duck eggs are currently on day 23 and the past 24 hours they have been rolling around in the incubator and now I’m starting to see shadows in their air cells. I’m not sure if any have internally pipped yet but it looks like they are trying to. Should I go ahead and lock down now on day 23?

You can go ahead and set up the incubator for lockdown, there's no need to to turn them anymore, and it won't harm them to go into lockdown a couple days early.

If your thermometer/hygrometer isn't calibrated, they may hatch early.

 

[Chris93]

You can go ahead and set up the incubator for lockdown, there's no need to to turn them anymore, and it won't harm them to go into lockdown a couple days early.

If your thermometer/hygrometer isn't calibrated, they may hatch early.

Ok thank you! It looks like some of them developed a little faster than others, not sure why.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Ok thank you! It looks like some of them developed a little faster than others, not sure why.

Sometimes incubators have warmer and cooler spots, so some may end up slightly ahead or behind

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I start lockdown when I see those signs
Rolling around
Pushing into air cell and air cell dips forward really fast
Still may take them a few days to get the internal pip but they are working at it

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

My bator has cooler and warmer spots so I move my eggs around each time I turn them
When the schools hatch my eggs they use the turner and once a day I get them to move the eggs around as well
Just helps a bit to keep them all at the same pace

 

[Chris93]

I start lockdown when I see those signs
Rolling around
Pushing into air cell and air cell dips forward really fast
Still may take them a few days to get the internal pip but they are working at it

Thanks! I figured it was time to stop turning since they wouldn’t stay still anyways lol. What should the humidity be for lockdown? Most of what I’ve read says 65 to 70% for ducks.

 

[Chris93]

Just an update, it is now day 27 and my duck eggs seem to be right on time. Yesterday I noticed that 7 of my 8 eggs have internally pipped. Now about 24 hours after internally pipping I have 2 external pips!

 

[Chris93]

3 of my ducklings just hatched and my humidity shot up to 86%. Should I do something? That seems really high.

 

[mcdze]

thats normal and fine, dont try to change anything at this point, 'that' is a major cause of problems imo ..