The first time I tried to hatch ducks was a disaster. They were days late, I eventually tried to assist, the assisting didn't go well, and the few ducks that hatched eventually died. I was surprised because I carefully tracked timing, turned frequently, managed humidity carefully (although our ambient humidity is high, which is hard to control), and checked up on them several times per day.
I am now several weeks into a hatch that came from some nests that the ducks weren't managing well. The eggs came from all different dates, so there was no way to track timing. I've had to constantly open the incubator as they hatched. Humidity and temperature have been all over the map. I have turned haphazardly at best. And I have given no assistance except to detach eggs if they were glued to the ducks backs after they hatched.
I have hatch rate of over 80%, 17 ducks in, with 13 still in the incubator.
So, I conclude that it is best to forget the date that you put the eggs in the incubator, turn if you happen to think of it, open the incubator whenever you feel like it, and otherwise leave nature to take its course.
I am now several weeks into a hatch that came from some nests that the ducks weren't managing well. The eggs came from all different dates, so there was no way to track timing. I've had to constantly open the incubator as they hatched. Humidity and temperature have been all over the map. I have turned haphazardly at best. And I have given no assistance except to detach eggs if they were glued to the ducks backs after they hatched.
I have hatch rate of over 80%, 17 ducks in, with 13 still in the incubator.
So, I conclude that it is best to forget the date that you put the eggs in the incubator, turn if you happen to think of it, open the incubator whenever you feel like it, and otherwise leave nature to take its course.
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