What's the chance my duck eggs are fertilized

[Jinglebells0518]

We just finished incubating 2 eggs that were fertilized but didn't make it to the end but then that same day those 2 were appeared to hatch we found another egg in her nest and put it in the incubator. It never developed any. About 2 weeks after that we found 4 more in her nest. Today thay are at day 5 in the incubator and only one of the four is showing any signs of development. For the past 4 days she has laid an egg every day and we just keep adding them to the incubator. The one that is on day 4 is also showing signs of development and the other 3 haven't been in the incubator long enough.

Is it likely these remaining eggs are fertilized or that if she continues to lay every day those will also be fertilized? How does duck reproduction work? How many eggs will be fertilized by mating one time and does mama have any control over which ones have a chance to be fertilized and which ones won't be?

It stinks to have her laying an egg every day and then incubating them to find out that half of them are infertile.

 

[chickens really]

I collect about 14 eggs and start them all on the same day. I store them in an egg carton tilted up on a book and shift it daily. Keep in a cool room. Fat end up. I then lay flat for 12 hours. Then I put in my incubator. I candle Duck eggs only on day 10 and remove all the duds.

 

[Jinglebells0518]

I collect about 14 eggs and start them all on the same day. I store them in an egg carton tilted up on a book and shift it daily. Keep in a cool room. Fat end up. I then lay flat for 12 hours. Then I put in my incubator. I candle Duck eggs only on day 10 and remove all the duds.

Unfortunately the first egg had already been sitting out for about a week and a half by the time the others finished hatching and we didn't want to risk them not making it as chances go down if incubation doesn't start within a week so we started. And of course A few days later we found 4 eggs in her nest. So now they are at different incubation periods and we only have one incubator so not sure what to do when hatching time comes.

 

[chickens really]

That won't matter if a week apart. It can be locked down too. Just make sure your air cells get big during incubation. Too high of humility and the eggs don't lose enough moisture to form a healthy air cell.

 

[Jinglebells0518]

So the higher humidity won't affect those that are a week behind? Right now we have been keeping the humidity about 40-50. Is this too high for the beginning? I'm hearing mixed reviews. What about the turning of the younger eggs during lockdown. Can we open to turn them?

 

[chickens really]

Watch the humidity as the eggs are developing. Air cells need to get bigger. I have a forced air incubator with a fan. I run mine at 40% till lockdown. Then 60% at lockdown.
I am hatching Ducklings that I'm not sure when they were due right now. Have been in lockdown since last weekend and all are alive and internally pipped.

 

[Jinglebells0518]

Watch the humidity as the eggs are developing. Air cells need to get bigger. I have a forced air incubator with a fan. I run mine at 40% till lockdown. Then 60% at lockdown.
I am hatching Ducklings that I'm not sure when they were due right now. Have been in lockdown since last weekend and all are alive and internally pipped.

Aww! That's so exciting! Mine is a still air incubator but I think last time we may have drowned our ducklings because my sister said the humidity should be in the 80s when I had read 40s but she didn't realize that was for a wet bulb which we don't have. The one made it somewhere between 22-26 days and the other started zipping and gave up. We want to do everything right this time but with the scattered batch I'm trying to prepare in advance to give them the best chance.

Is it better to raise the humidity for the first batch or should I keep the humidity lower for the second batch and just mist those in the first batch?