Ugh, freaking out about incubation!

[DucklingLovee]

So I have some Pekin/Runner eggs incubating that my female Pekin laid, I've incubated eggs before but the problem I'm having is all these eggs were laid at different times. One egg is at the 18 day mark today, which I've been told is the day to take them off the automatic turner, but the other eggs aren't at that stage yet. Should I just take them all off the turner and start manually turning them? Also, can they lay on their sides on the incubator? My incubator just has a wire rack at the bottom.

 

[Kleonaptra]

Yes they can lay on their sides my incubator is the same. I would take them off auto turn now and manually turn the others. The biggest issue you will have is when they start hatching and you will have to reach in to retrieve your babies! So long as you are quick it won't disrupt the inside environment too much. Good luck!

 

[DucklingLovee]

Okay, thank you! I'll post some pictures of the littluns if I'm lucky enough to have some hatch!

 

[Orca5094]

The day to stop turning pekin duck eggs is Day 25, not Day 18 (they take 28 days to hatch). It's just the last few days they don't need to be turned.

It's really not a good idea to incubate eggs at different ages like that, it will cause alot of problems since they will all hatch at different times. They need higher humidity during hatch, but lower during incubation, so it might mess some of your guys up. And it's really not good to open the incubator to take ducklings out if others are in the process of hatching either because the humidity will fall quickly and the others might become "shrink-wrapped". Just be aware of the issues that can happen. Also, ducklings of different ages won't necessarily get along and the older ones will often bully younger/smaller ones and it will be difficult for the younger ones to get enough food. It's not so easy.

In conclusion, it's best to gather the eggs for 7-10 days and put them in the incubator all at the same time so they hatch at the same time. This is how momma ducks ensure their ducklings all hatch together as well, they don't start to incubate until they are finished laying. Too late for that this time of course, but at least you will know for the future.

 

[DucklingLovee]

Well, I may have to start my whole hatch over anyways. Woke up this morning at the incubator was at around 105°, probably on that temp. all night. I have no idea why, I checked it before I went to sleep and it was fine.

 

[DucklingLovee]

Yep, candled the eggs and the babies aren't moving anymore. So bummed.

 

[Amykins]

Yep, candled the eggs and the babies aren't moving anymore. So bummed.

I'm so sorry, hun...I actually had a similar thing happen with my own eggs. Luckily it was just a back-up bator, but I do not trust styrofoam still-air bators at all. Some people swear by them, but I had mine down in the cellar, the most temp stable, quiet room in the house, and they still had a temp spike that killed my babies. If I ever have to use a cheap styrobator again, I'm making sure it's forced air!

 

[Orca5094]

Well, I may have to start my whole hatch over anyways. Woke up this morning at the incubator was at around 105°, probably on that temp. all night. I have no idea why, I checked it before I went to sleep and it was fine.

Yep, candled the eggs and the babies aren't moving anymore. So bummed.

Oh no, I'm so sorry. :/

 

[Kleonaptra]

I wouldn't give up just yet. No matter how sure I am I usually can't chuck them til the very end, sometimes I get lucky.