- Jun 1, 2014
- 3
- 0
- 7
So, a few days ago, I decided that I wanted to get ducks. I did a lot of reading, and then decided it was something I really wanted to do, so I told my daughter about it ((Whose 4)) and she got really pumped up, so we're both excited. I went and I purchased an incubator, and 3 Pekin Duck Eggs. And Omg has it been a whirlwind! Never did I think that it could be so complicated to keep a temperature stable, or humidity at a decent level! I feel like a stressing mother over her newborn, there's so much more to this then I bargained, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I am so excited for hatch day, and I can't wait to have my daughter experience bringing life to an animal!
So I have a few questions. A lot of them, I've scoured this forum for, and I have gotten so much knowledge from your posts, and I can't be thankful enough! You're all very educated in this, and this site has been a blessing in this experience thus far! My first question is, one night, when I put in a new hygrometer into the incubator, I was waiting and watching for the temperature to stabilize again, but I fell asleep. When I woke up, the temp had stayed at 98 degrees all night. I spent the whole day panicking. I use a mercury thermometer, not the digital one on the incubator. ((I have a Little Giant Still Air with an Egg turner)) Wondering if I just killed my babies. I don't know yet, because day 7 wont be until tomorrow night, so that's when I get to find out if they're even fertilized, and I decided to wait until Thursday night, just in case. How bad is it if they spend about 8 hours 1.5 degree under?
I also have a digital Hygrometer in there as well. My humidity on the incubator says it's 54%, and the digital one I purchased states 64%... is that to high? If so, how do I lower it? I calibrated the digital one, and when I left for work, it said 73, so I was like, oh, okay two off. I came home ((So it had been in with the salt water mixture almost 24 hours)) and it said 77, so I'm like crap, which do I go with?! Where is an ideal humidity level for Pekin Duck Eggs? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to have a million questions with this process, so I am so glad I found this forum!
So I have a few questions. A lot of them, I've scoured this forum for, and I have gotten so much knowledge from your posts, and I can't be thankful enough! You're all very educated in this, and this site has been a blessing in this experience thus far! My first question is, one night, when I put in a new hygrometer into the incubator, I was waiting and watching for the temperature to stabilize again, but I fell asleep. When I woke up, the temp had stayed at 98 degrees all night. I spent the whole day panicking. I use a mercury thermometer, not the digital one on the incubator. ((I have a Little Giant Still Air with an Egg turner)) Wondering if I just killed my babies. I don't know yet, because day 7 wont be until tomorrow night, so that's when I get to find out if they're even fertilized, and I decided to wait until Thursday night, just in case. How bad is it if they spend about 8 hours 1.5 degree under?
I also have a digital Hygrometer in there as well. My humidity on the incubator says it's 54%, and the digital one I purchased states 64%... is that to high? If so, how do I lower it? I calibrated the digital one, and when I left for work, it said 73, so I was like, oh, okay two off. I came home ((So it had been in with the salt water mixture almost 24 hours)) and it said 77, so I'm like crap, which do I go with?! Where is an ideal humidity level for Pekin Duck Eggs? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to have a million questions with this process, so I am so glad I found this forum!
