when you say 28 days for the ducks...

[kingpincray]

do they hatch out on day 28? or is that when they pipped externally? assuming temperature and everything else is spot on...

 

[duckyfromoz]

28 is hatch day. They may pip days earlier but it can take 48 hours or more for them to hatch once they have broken through the inner membrane of the egg.

As you say.. assuming temp is spot on... You will get variations regardless. You put all the eggs into the bator within a few minutes..they dont all hatch in the same time frame.- Some can just be faster or slower to hatch then others. You should see some pipping at least internally from day 26.

 

[kingpincray]

Thanks duckyfromoz....you want to know something funny?... I jusy worked worked out that your user name is actually ducky from OZ. I have read a lot of your postings and it just clicked this morning...

ok mine are pretty near spot on then. today is day 26 and two eggs pipped yesterday, one last night and two more to go. By the time the last 2 hatch it probably will be on friday(day 28). So maybe I don't have to calibrate my thermometer then.

I am now using two thermometers in the incubator since the start of incubation this time and I realised that there is quite a bit of temperature gradient even just between the top of the eggs and 4cm above the egg in the still air incubator. I worked out why last season all my eggs were late and I always panicked.

I know I have it a little bit higher this time than what I use to as I had all sorts of problems. I find that chicks that hatch a little earlier do better than those hatching late for some reason. I have the temperature set around 101F just on top of the eggs. Even my bobwhites are hatching beautifully now...

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

What actually what is the "spot on temp/humidity" for either early or right on the day hatching? I better set up my Hova Bator again to work out the kinks before lock down Friday. I'm pretty sure that is when they need to be locked down. Gosh after my 1st loss I'm 2cd guessing myself and the Hova Bator like crazy!

 

[kingpincray]

Quote:
I have kept temp at egg level at around 101F for incubating and I set for lockdown the temp at egg level is 98F and 70% humidity and it has worked very well.

Fill all the wells for hobavator with warm water. I have one of those but i built a small one that I use for hatching. I know it can be hard as I have been through it late last year. I feel for you.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

well because of my little special guy/girl with the already dent in the egg, I wasn't sure if I should have the humidity at 75-80% so there is no dry out. But it hasn't punctured the membrance, and it has wax over it. But I did see it move last night, so I'm still hopeful. But preparing for losses.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Quote:
Lol..thats so cute... Yep..I live in Melbourne Australia. I have raised waterfowl for 26 years now- so most people who know me just call me Duckie. I love this site because of the diversity of countries people live in...its always spring somewhere!! Its so interesting to see the differences between countries...feeds for one...But on here rubbermaid totes are mentioned alot.. I had to google to find out what they were. raising ducks is pretty much the same all over the world...but what breeds and what we can buy for our ducks is different. Out here you almost never hear of adding niacin or vitamins to feed - They must manufacture it better out here - and pretty much everyone just uses pine shavings in brooders. The biggest difference though is the huge hatcheries in the USA. We cant ship ducklings all over the country as easily as you guys can. And NEVER in the post. Couriers and freight companies do it - but not often, and mostly for adults.

Speaking of day 28..That is tomorrow for some of mine. I have 14 eggs rocking and pipping away tonight. One has started to unzip. It was the first setting in my new incubator- so I am hoping for a better hatch than in my old Hova. I aim for 75- 80 % humidity in mine for hatching- with a rise of around 5 % when they start popping out.

The ones that hatch earlier have often been under less stress. The ones in the eggs a day or two longer struggle more and can hatch weaker. Think of how fast they grow... An extra day in an egg can really make a difference to how much room they have to turn and unzip.

Best of luck with your hatch.. Would love to compare hatching pics with you when they are all done hatching!!

 

[kingpincray]

Quote:
Thanks. Three of them are out now and the other two have pipped and started to unzip too. They should be out by the end of today.

and actually I am based in New Zealand so just across the ditch from you...lol

all the best with yours too. Will definately post some pictures.

 

[kingpincray]

Quote:
well you have done well with this one considering it has a dent. higher humidity will not hurt. Mine always go up higher when they hatch anyways as there are moisture from the eggs too.

good luck with this lot...

 

[katharinad]

Quote:
I give all my babies a jump start when they hatch. They get electrolyte water with vitamins/minerals and probiotics. I basically dip their bill in the water and make then take one zip before they go into the brooder. A little bit sugar can be added for the weaker ones. I tend to hold the weaker ones longer in the incubator/hatcher and give them that every 6 hours until they are hopping around. I had two with twisted in stiff legs last time. I call the the fall asleep leg syndrome from being locked up for so long in an egg. These get the water mixture every 3 hours for 2 days. By day 3 you cannot tell the difference. I think the vitamin Bs are correcting this, because these vitamin have to do with neurological development.