terrible hatch rates

[hippie]

I have been trying to hatch ducks in my incubator all spring, and am not having very good luck. I candle the eggs at about 2 weeks and everything seems to be going fine, and somewhere between 3 weeks and hatching, the ducklings die in the shell. Is there something I should be doing during this period? or am I just having bad luck? Also I heard that a hen muscovy is the way to go. Is this true?

 

[Kevin565]

What breeds were you hatching?

Where did you get the eggs?

Humidity levels?

Temperature?

 

[hippie]

they are mixed pekin/black swedish. I have kept the temp at about 99 and the humidity I don't know about. I keep the little tray in the bottom of the incubator full. The eggs are all fertile and from my ducks, so freshness isn't an issue.

 

[hippie]

I meant mixed rouen/black swedish

 

[kellyn]

I heard(haven't tried) that sprayin your eggs daily helps a substancial ammount. I have a staggered clutch of 21, 14 and 7 in my incubator, each group a week apart. I just put the into the same incubator today, and will soon be misting them. I have cruddy hatch rates as well, the eggs keel over about a week from hatch date. Mine are Pekin/pekin, pekin/muscovy and several other breeds and mutts. I'll see how it goes, trying this method. If i get 60%, I'll say it's a successful method and will keep using it, coz appearantly the Dry Hatch Method doesnt do too well with ducks. But then again, it's near impossible for me to successfully do it with the hellish florida humidity.

Good luck with your eggs! Since I've never hatched more than 2 eggs at once successfully, I'm dearly hoping his will work. Pekin/muscovies are THE best cross-bred birds.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If you've got one of those Styrofoam incubators, sometimes they don't work well. Other than that, I have no idea what the problem is.

I hatch duck eggs on their sides and hand turn. That is supposed to increase hatch rates. I've never used a turner, so I can't compare.

Eggs can be spritzed with water daily, but the water has to be exactly the same temperature as the inside of the incubator. Duck eggs seem to benefit from a short cooling period every day. If you make it as far as lock down, you need some high humidity at that point. I run about 38% humidity up until lock down.


I hope you can get it figured out and have better luck in the future.