URGENT! Sitting duck killed - have eggs & no incubator!

[Cherib603]

My neighbor down the road just showed up with 3 duck eggs that her pet white layer had been sitting on for the past 16 days. The duck was hit by a car this morning, neighbor has no incubator and brought the eggs to me thinking one of my birds would sit on them, but mine are way too young. (Not a close friend, this neighbor, she only knew I too had ducks). What do I do to hatch these eggs? I basically only have access to a heating pad & heat lamp! Help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A heat lamp isn't a good idea because it heats what it is aimed at so it could overheat the eggs. Just a regular incandescent lamp (perhaps 40 watt) or the heat pad. You want to create a small space you can get to about 100F. Once you get that settled down, you then need to figure out how to get the humidity up.
Perhaps a small box or a Styrofoam cooler. It needs to be ventilated cause the eggs need oxygen.

 

[Cherib603]

Ok, so about 100 degrees. Humidity. Turn them?

 

[bydhatch]

Ok, so about 100 degrees. Humidity. Turn them?

You want to turn them 3-7 times a day. The important part is turning them an ODD number of times. A quick, cheap incubator can be made from a foam cooler, like mentioned above, and heating pad. A wet paper towel on top is great for humidity. Hope all goes well!

 

[Cherib603]

Thanks. Got them on towels in a cooler with a gooseneck lamp over them. Working on getting temp just right.

Man, NOT what I was planning to do today!!

 

[Kiki]

Thanks. Got them on towels in a cooler with a gooseneck lamp over them. Working on getting temp just right.

Man, NOT what I was planning to do today!!

Good luck!
I hope you still get to enjoy your day!

Kinda exciting huh?

 

[Cherib603]

Oh, turning - 1/4 turn? 1/2 turn??

 

[Cherib603]

VERY exciting!

 

[bydhatch]

Thanks. Got them on towels in a cooler with a gooseneck lamp over them. Working on getting temp just right.

Man, NOT what I was planning to do today!!

Regulating the temp can be a bit challenging but once you get it, you're golden! I found abandoned eggs a couple weeks ago and tried to incubate them. I know how your feeling! Best of luck! Edit: 1/2 turn