Update on my duck eggs.

[Enigmius]

All the birds are alive and kicking inside their calcium carts.

Currently the humidity is at 37-44.
However, I’m wondering if it is too high.
These eggs with the circles below range from 13-16 days. Are these aircells too small?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

All the birds are alive and kicking inside their calcium carts.

Currently the humidity is at 37-44.
However, I’m wondering if it is too high.
These eggs with the circles below range from 13-16 days. Are these aircells too small?

Your air cells look a little small but that might be the angle. Have you seen this chart? Are you doing the daily spraying/cooling of the eggs to help them lose moisture?

 

[Enigmius]

Your air cells look a little small but that might be the angle. Have you seen this chart? Are you doing the daily spraying/cooling of the eggs to help them lose moisture?

I'm pulling all the eggs out for candling everyday which takes me about 10 minutes since i have to carry them to a closet, so I can be in the dark. But no, I'm not misting.

Oh yeah. I have seen that chart. To me they the airless look smaller than they should. But I wanted another opinion. I'll take better pictures tomorrow outside of the incubator.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'm pulling all the eggs out for candling everyday which takes me about 10 minutes since i have to carry them to a closet, so I can be in the dark. But no, I'm not misting.

Oh yeah. I have seen that chart. To me they the airless look smaller than they should. But I wanted another opinion. I'll take better pictures tomorrow outside of the incubator.

Have you looked up articles or posts on misting and cooking? A lot of people think that it really improves duckling hatch rates...

 

[Enigmius]

Have you looked up articles or posts on misting and cooking? A lot of people think that it really improves duckling hatch rates...

Do you think it is too late to start misting during their 10 minute cooling/candling tomorrow and going forward?

Also, I just want to let you know that I appreciate you helping me with all of this. This is my first time incubating. And I would never have planned to do this if my boy wasn't taken by a hawk recently.

 

[Enigmius]

So today all of the eggs that had prior signs of life are still alive, but one I'm questioning. It started its incubation on 6/12/19. I couldn't tell if there was motion in there or not. If there was motion, it was very subtle. Other than that, the veins are still there, still smells ok. So, I put it back into the incubator and I will check tomorrow. There are a few eggs collected from 6/14--6/17 that I'm not sure are fertilized. I certainly do not see veins yet, but I don't know if it is too soon to tell. Again, they don't smell odd or off. I'll give it another day or two.
I started using a mist and cool cycle today. I first take the eggs out of the incubator and place into a padded basket to carry safely to the closet which is a darker environment than the rest of my house. I don't have a mister, so I used a bowl of water to dip my hand in before I pick up an egg from the basket to candle. I figured that this should still work..

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So today all of the eggs that had prior signs of life are still alive, but one I'm questioning. It started its incubation on 6/12/19. I couldn't tell if there was motion in there or not. If there was motion, it was very subtle. Other than that, the veins are still there, still smells ok. So, I put it back into the incubator and I will check tomorrow. There are a few eggs collected from 6/14--6/17 that I'm not sure are fertilized. I certainly do not see veins yet, but I don't know if it is too soon to tell. Again, they don't smell odd or off. I'll give it another day or two.
I started using a mist and cool cycle today. I first take the eggs out of the incubator and place into a padded basket to carry safely to the closet which is a darker environment than the rest of my house. I don't have a mister, so I used a bowl of water to dip my hand in before I pick up an egg from the basket to candle. I figured that this should still work..

I’m sorry to hear that you lost a drake to a hawk! We lost our mallard girl, Mabel, to a hawk as well. Are any of these eggs from your lost drake?

I don’t candle very often myself, all that handling can hurt the embryo and skin oils can clog the shell pores. I’m linking to a thread on the cooling/misting. The idea is that change in temperature opens the shell pores and lets water out. For misting, you can take the eggs out of the incubator and put in egg cartons, mist lightly, then leave for a few minutes until dry. Or, you can leave in the incubator, mist lightly, leave lid propped up until eggs dry. Misting from about day 6-24 is common. I’d get a cheap mister, they’d probably have one at the dollar store. I used filtered, room temperature water.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Forgot to add the link!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/21347652

 

[Enigmius]

I’m sorry to hear that you lost a drake to a hawk! We lost our mallard girl, Mabel, to a hawk as well. Are any of these eggs from your lost drake?

I don’t candle very often myself, all that handling can hurt the embryo and skin oils can clog the shell pores. I’m linking to a thread on the cooling/misting. The idea is that change in temperature opens the shell pores and lets water out. For misting, you can take the eggs out of the incubator and put in egg cartons, mist lightly, then leave for a few minutes until dry. Or, you can leave in the incubator, mist lightly, leave lid propped up until eggs dry. Misting from about day 6-24 is common. I’d get a cheap mister, they’d probably have one at the dollar store. I used filtered, room temperature water.

I only had one drake, so all the fertile eggs are his.
The oils from our skin can hurt the eggs? Well, I have a box of sterile surgical gloves. I could use those to pick up the eggs. I'll take a look at that link you just sent.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I only had one drake, so all the fertile eggs are his.
The oils from our skin can hurt the eggs? Well, I have a box of sterile surgical gloves. I could use those to pick up the eggs. I'll take a look at that link you just sent.

Yes, I use nitrile exam gloves in lovely purple...