Trouble after lockdown!

[Aliciahess]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've been on here.
I just recently hatched some ducklkngs. I have a little giant incubator, was able to keep temp at 99-100 with humidity at 60-67% after I locked down. Humidity was higher when ducks hatched. I only had about a third of the eggs hatch, all confirmed alive before lockdown. Would the hatched babies affect my success rate by knocking the other eggs around too much? Any suggestions to get a better hatch rate?
Thanks,
Alicia

 

[dotknott]

Hi Alicia,
I've suspected this to be the case. In my last batch, I had 6 eggs, in a semi circle. If we were to number them clockwise (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) 3 and 6 hatched first. 5 was malpositioned and pipped from the wrong end and 4 died in the shell. Those two got knocked around A LOT while 3 and 6 were hatching, then more after they hatched and they were climbing around the incubator.

I don't have a solution, but I don't think you're off base. Not all of your deaths may be attributed to hatchlings moving the eggs around, but I don't think it's un-reasonable to think that it may play a role in some decrease in hatch rate.

 

[dotknott]

I should add, that correlation =/= causation.

That said, I am fastidious about data and notes, and maybe I can improve my own hatch rates by keeping track of this stuff.

 

[Aliciahess]

I have wondered about setting the eggs in a cut down egg carton to maybe stop some of the movement. Any experience in that? Any other suggestions to get a better hatch rate?

 

[dotknott]

Well, I think the trouble here is that if the duckling is trying to get out of the egg, you want the egg to be able move.

 

[carla9383]

I just started incubating as well. I have confirmed the chicks are alive and kicking before lockdown begins. I have had 2 batches, on the second batch i opened an egg and the chicks are dead. Can someone help me. I dont know what i am doing wrong for the babies to die.

 

[Aliciahess]

What are your temp and humidity rates? I have been looking around for suggested levels and tried them. Im hoping someone will have a special trick or suggestion i havrnt seen or tried.....