Who's Hatching Ducks? Hatch With Us!! *Page 3*

[TheDuckCrew]

Quote:
Dont worry about the humidity. I dont pay attention to it at all, until I move them to the hatcher.

okay. that makes me feel better. the temp hardly falls, even when i open it. i've got it down to a science (just not the humidity!)

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Dont worry about the humidity. I dont pay attention to it at all, until I move them to the hatcher.

okay. that makes me feel better. the temp hardly falls, even when i open it. i've got it down to a science (just not the humidity!)

I don't sweat the humidity too much during incubating - mostly I watch the air cells, and if they get too big or small at the wrong time, I either up or lower the humidity a bit.

Plus, that first 24 to 48 hours it's gonna go wonky on ya anyway.

meri

 

[TheDuckCrew]

Mojo Chick'n :

Quote:
okay. that makes me feel better. the temp hardly falls, even when i open it. i've got it down to a science (just not the humidity!)

I don't sweat the humidity too much during incubating - mostly I watch the air cells, and if they get too big or small at the wrong time, I either up or lower the humidity a bit.

Plus, that first 24 to 48 hours it's gonna go wonky on ya anyway.

meri​

thanks! what should the humidity for hatching be? also, how do i know the right size of the air cell? sorry...my first incubation with my first set of ducks.

 

[countrybum]

I have never worried about the humidity, I just keep the water troughs in the incubator full at all times. It seems that when ever I try to adjust and the more I mess with it, the less eggs I have hatch. So I no longer try to screw with the humidity and I have about an 98% hatch rate.

I am chicked and egged out to the point I have been giving both away. Many more dozen eggs in the frig and I will have to clear shelf #2. Any more in the incubator and I will have to start another layer or buy another incubator.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I don't sweat the humidity too much during incubating - mostly I watch the air cells, and if they get too big or small at the wrong time, I either up or lower the humidity a bit.

Plus, that first 24 to 48 hours it's gonna go wonky on ya anyway.

meri

thanks! what should the humidity for hatching be? also, how do i know the right size of the air cell? sorry...my first incubation with my first set of ducks.

I like the humidity to be around 85% for hatching. Not really sure how to explain the air cells, but I just see if they look to small or too large. If they are too small, mist them. That helps the egg to lose moisture.

 

[TheDuckCrew]

Quote:
thanks! what should the humidity for hatching be? also, how do i know the right size of the air cell? sorry...my first incubation with my first set of ducks.

I like the humidity to be around 85% for hatching. Not really sure how to explain the air cells, but I just see if they look to small or too large. If they are too small, mist them. That helps the egg to lose moisture.

alright. thanks so much. these next 28 days are going to kill me!!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

My air cells are pretty big - does that mean the humidity is too high or too low? I'm a nervous wreck. Moved them to the hatcher yesterday.

 

[barnwife]

I have a dozen pure cayuga and a handful of mix dck eggs due in the next few days...and a few geese, too.

Everyone is doing fine, had a couple quitters along the way...BUT

I am still nervous. I haven't ahtched ducklings before. The humidity stays around 30-50% no matter what I do with it.

I leave a towel wet on top/and bottom of the eggies, fill the water trays, and mist several times daily. I live in DRY (middle of the worst drought on record) central Texas.

Every time I mist/add water to the towel and water cells, they are DRY or very close to it. Does the humidity really have to be at 80%? I can BARELY get it to 60%, and that goes away quickly. Maybe I should set up a misting/fog/sprinkler system in the egg room, maybe install a sauna for when they hatch lol.

I have the plugs in, too....but every time I candle things look good! Maybe they forgive me for raising them up in a near-desert.... Advice?

I will post pics while the hatch is going on here, if noone minds pics of cutesy duckies AND goslings (due the day after the duckies)

 

[ShadyGlade]

Quote:
We only mind if you don't post ENOUGH pics.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
at hatch time, they should be bigger - I only worry if they get big or small during the previous 20 days or so.

they sound like they're probably fine.

meri