Silkies hatching muscovies

[Tofu the chicken]

So I am gonna be getting muscovy eggs from eBay (I think I'm getting one with 18 eggs, gonna order in a few days), and I'm gonna put the eggs under my silkie hens, I've researched a lot and wanted just to have my facts checked and get any advice I can get before getting the eggs as this is my first time ever hatching anything.

This is what I know to my knowledge, please correct or add anything helpful below thank you!

-shipped eggs should be placed upside down for at least 12 hours but doing it for 24 hours wields better results before putting them under then hen

-a silkie can have 4/5 duck eggs under her comfortably (gonna try to use 4 broodys so just split eggs up into groups of 4 and 5)

-the broody hens should be seperate from the flock (gonna do two methods, one of my silkies I'm gonna have hatch and raise until they are too big in a very large dog crate, the other 3 are gonna be in a coop with just them, seperate from main coop, just so I can personally see which of these methods works better since I've heard both are good)

-since muscovies take 35ish days the chicken might abandon them after 21, (most my broodys will be broody over 21 days in general so I'm willing to chance it, sometimes I've seen them broody for around 2 months)

-start candling at day 7, and get rid of eggs not developing(if anyone could link a chart for what muscovy eggs should look like each day id appreciate since I've struggled to find one specific for muscovies)

-put food and water close to next box for broody hen, expect her to eat less than normal

Some questions I have

-if anyone else has hatched muscovies with a broody, can you please tell me your hatch rate? I know I can't predict mine and I'm ok with however many hatch may
It be 0 or the almost impossible change of 18(actually would be sad if it's zero but it wouldn't be the worst thing ever), I've done math on other people just hatching birds under a broody, averaged a bunch out and got a 30℅ overall average, but that's not muscovy exclusive

-do I need to spray the eggs? I know you should if they are in an incubator but haven't been able to find anything about if you should when they are under a hen

Thank you for any responses, I appreciate them

 

[sourland]

Your plans look good. I would put the feed and water far enough away from the nest site that the hens have to leave the nest to eat and drink. If feed and water is too close, they may end up defecating in the nest and spoiling the eggs. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[Tofu the chicken]

Your plans look good. I would put the feed and water far enough away from the nest site that the hens have to leave the nest to eat and drink. If feed and water is too close, they may end up defecating in the nest and spoiling the eggs. Good luck for a successful hatch.

Thank you!

 

[sourland]

During the incubation I would check on the hens periodically to assure that they were maintaining condition, and that they remained mite free.

 

[Tofu the chicken]

@sourland I'm sorry to bug you, but since so far you're the only one to respond I was wondering if you were able to answer the question about if I need to spray the eggs with water? Or if a chicken can create enough humility on her own for the eggs?