Some questions about hatching call ducks

[Diamond88]

Hi, everyone. I'm new to this forum and to raising ducks, and I have a few questions for all of you experts. Next week I'm expecting a shipment of six call duck eggs. I know, I'm in over my head with call ducks being my first hatch. But my heart was set on call ducks, and I want to hatch them so they'll imprint on me.

I've been doing a lot of research over the past few weeks, and this forum has been extremely helpful. I do still have a few questions about hatching, though, just as I'm sure I'll have more questions as the ducklings grow. Here's what I'd like to know:

--How long after I first put the eggs in the incubator should I start turning them? Do I turn them the first day or wait a few days?

--When I turn the eggs, do I roll them over or turn them end over end?

--What, exactly, is lockdown? Do I just stop turning the eggs, or do I have to keep the incubator shut at all times? What if I need to add water? How will I know when the eggs are ready for lockdown?

--How long after the internal pip should I wait for the external pip? At what point should I poke an air hole, and at what point should I start zipping the shell?

--What does the membrane look like inside the egg? How will I know if the duckling is shrink wrapped?

Okay, I think that's enough questions for now! Your input would be so greatly appreciated. I'm really glad to have this forum as a resource.

 

[Diamond88]

I'm going to give my post a bump, because I think my questions are legit and I haven't yet been able to find answers in the archives or elsewhere online.

 

[Dwen]

(1)Start turning the eggs 24-36 hours after you start them. (storey's guide p158)

(3) For call ducks, lockdown, (when you don't open the incubator for anything) begins on day 23. I'm not sure if there are certain signs to look for first though. If you need to add water, do it through the vents using fish tank tubing or a straw.

hopefully someone else can chime in, I just started my first-ever eggs yesterday, (also calls) so this is stuff I've gleaned, but haven't actually tried yet.

Good luck with your eggs!

 

[country_girl011]

calls are great but hard as heck to hatch.
but just so you know. just because you hatch them does not mean they will imprint on you.
all ducklings go through a fear stage where they are scared of people.
and ive noticed with calls after about 3 days they are flightly.
and calm down once they hit about 3 months old.

 

[Diamond88]

Awesome, thanks for the info! I've been meaning to get Storey's Guide.

Too bad they won't automatically imprint on me even if I'm first thing they see. I'll make sure to spend a lot of time with them, and I'm glad to know they're flighty after a few days old, so I won't worry about it when they act scared. I just want them to love me!

 

[aprille218]

Most call ducks are pretty friendly. They know me as the person who refills their water (every time I turn around it seems).
When turning eggs roll them over not end to end.
Internal to external pip is usually 12-24 hours. You should only see the external because lockdown mean no candling or opening incubator unless an emergency.
I incubate call eggs at 30% humidity until day 23 when it's upped to 60% then 65% at day 25.
Membrane is white "skin" over the baby. If it's clear it's sticky (too humid). If it's stiff it's shrink wrapped.
2 days after the first one hatches I open the incubator take out the ducklings and poke a hole in the air sac end of every remaining egg. Use a flashlight and if it's alive if any are okay back in they go, if not viable their taken out.
Aprille

 

[Diamond88]

That's great to know! Thank you. My eggs are arriving tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If you want a waterfowl that actually imprints you want geese. They see the human hatcher as mom and will follow you everywhere.

Shipping eggs is not an easy task, sometimes the eggs are damaged inside during shipment, unless you candle and know what you are looking for you may not realize it.

6 eggs shipped for call ducks (hard to hatch to begin with) may not result in more than 1 duckling. You could end up with 6, but with shipped eggs please don't over think or stress wondering if you could have changed something. This is your first hatch, so learn from it and how your incubator handles your environment for hatch results. You aren't a failure if 1 or none hatch. Just like you aren't an expert if all 6 hatch the first time out. You will learn.

Be sure to ask questions here. Don't panic while you wait for answers. It will help if you edit the first post and include the following:

Incubator brand:
With a fan or withoutthis is forced air or still air)
General locationhelps to know the environment)
How far the eggs have to travel:

Have you set up the bator and tested it and used a seperate thermometer from the one that came with it to know it is reading true?

Most of, enjoy the learning experience, and share pictures when at all possible from start to finish. Photos help give extra info you may not intend to leave out, but forget to mention, or don't realize you should mention it.

 

[Diamond88]

Thank you! I know that with only six eggs, it's very possible none will hatch (and if only one hatches, I know I'll have to buy some friends for it). I'm just hoping for the best, and I want to make sure I do everything I can to improve the odds. If it doesn't work out, though, maybe I'll consider geese for next time.

My incubator is a Little Giant 9200 without a fan. If a fan is important, I'll go buy one today when I pick up a second thermometer and a hygrometer.

I just moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Temps have been in the mid-80s and it's pretty sunny. I'm keeping the incubator inside obviously, and it's about 75 in the room.

The eggs were ordered from northern Ohio, Faith Valley Farms. I wasn't thrilled about the idea of shipping eggs that far, but this was the only farm I found that sold magpie call duck hatching eggs, and I really like the magpies.

I really appreciate all this help. I know the odds are not in my favor, attempting show quality call ducks as my first hatch, but it's great to have BYC as a resource so that I can do as much as possible to make conditions right for the duckies. The advantage to moving to a new state and not having a job or any close friends is that I have all the time in the world to devote to hatching!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Forced air bators are good for incubating but can lead to drying out membanes when hatching. We use still air hatchers, and forced air incubators.

NC has good natural humidity, you can most likely get away with 30-35% humidity during incubation (get a hydrometer from somewhere like homedepot if you don't have one) and raise the humidity at lockdown to 70+%.

That wasn't a bad distance for shipping eggs. Let them rest in the bator with no turning the first 24 hours. Then begin your normal turning routine after that.

Candle when they arrive checking for cracked eggs.

Candle again around day 7-10 and you will see little blogs and veins showing ducklings growing. With call eggs I would check at day 14-16 and again at lockdown. Look for eggs that the veining never started, or was there and went away. You will see ducklings moving inside the eggs that are growing.

The aircells (fat end of the egg) will grow larger during incubation, this is good and normal.

Post photos and ask questions, it's always exciting to incubate your first eggs.

Calls are very fragile at birth so have the brooder pre warmed and away from kids, pets, direct sunlight and drafts. They do not need food when first hatched, the yolks were just absorbed and provide nurishment.