Why can't I hatch ducks?

[FenDruadin]

I have been having better luck with very low humidity during the incubation period, and then raising it very high during hatch. When I run the usual recommended humidity, my air cells don't develop properly and they have trouble pipping.

At lockdown, you want the air cell to fill approximately one third of the volume of the egg.

Spraying is probably a really good idea. I just don't have the discipline to do it every day, so I don't. But it is supposed to help the eggs dehydrate, so it's definitely worth trying if you're having trouble. I wonder if it might also soften the shell a bit over time, aiding with pipping--that's just a wild guess though.

Good luck--it must be very frustrating to have so much trouble. I hope something works soon for you!

 

[TennesseeTruly]

My first attempts at duck eggs failed miserably. And I really think it was a humidity issue.

Now I start off with humidity at 65%.

Then at Day 25 I up the humidity to 80 to 85%.

I have had an almost 100% hatch rate every time.

Laurie

 

[FenDruadin]

Just wanted to add that I have always used the auto-turner and never had trouble with it. Commercial hatcheries have to use auto-turners and they generally get between 85-95% hatches. I'm not saying that auto turning is better, just that it's not necessarily bad either.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I never never ever ever will use an auto turner again. I bought one and hated it. I sold it. I hand turn everything and I have 4 incubators. Sometimes I have 160+ eggs and I spend 45 minutes turning at a time. I never had one egg hatch from the turner I bought. I tried 3 different batches of eggs in it.

Laurie

 

[kelseygirl707]

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Yep, we use a turner too, and we hatch in a carton, and never had any problems. I like using a cut down egg carton to hatch in, because ducklings are soooo clumsy when they hatch.

 

[Sweetfolly]

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Me too - I run the humidity at around 35% for the first 25 days, and then bump it to about 75% for the hatch.

I use the Brinsea Octagon 20 Eco incubator with an auto-turning cradle, and the eggs are upright with a slight tilt to one side, and I've been getting pretty decent hatch rates (considering most of the eggs I've set so far this year were from young ducks who had just started laying). I have a batch of Indian Runner eggs in there right now, due the 28th, and 8 out of 8 are going strong, and their air-cells look good.

 

[MagsC]

Along with the misting (after the fourth day), also after the fourth day I cool the eggs from 10 to 15 minutes. I have kept the humidity at least at 55. Thats what works for me.

 

[Sweetfolly]

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Duck eggs need to be on their sides and hand turned; also, follow Holderread's book about raising ducks and watch your air cells. Adjust the humidity according to how the air cells look on that chart, never mind the numbers until you get to the hatching stage. You may need to mist also, because that dehydrates the eggs. My experience with problems pipping has had to do with air cell size. You also need to bear in mind that in our climate here, conditions may not be the same from one month to the next as humidity changes here so rapidly.

Do you have the link to the air cell chart???

Here's one I found at www.poplarfarmcottage.com:

Hope that helps!

Also, I don't know if you've heard of Chris & Mike Ashton (really great waterfowl breeders in the UK), but they suggest that duck eggs actually require a lower humidity than chicken eggs, and have been quoted to say that if the relative humidity is over 50% for days 1-25, the eggs won't hatch (again, I found that on www.poplarfarmcottage.com and in their book, Keeping Ducks & Geese.)

I know many, many BYC'ers incubate their duck eggs between 50-55% humidity with good results, but I suggest keeping it lower myself. Like I said, I keep mine at around 35% for days 1-25.

And remember, if you're misting your eggs every day, they're losing more water than if you weren't misting them - so, if you're running your humidity pretty high, but misting the eggs, then the eggs are going to lose an amount of water that they would have lost at a lower humidity level if you hadn't misted them. Yes - I realize that that sounded confusing

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Misting the eggs causes them the lose water and counteracts a high humidity level. I keep a low humidity level and don't mist my eggs.

 

[Grey Bird Farm]

So now I am officially paranoid and anxious about my impending duck hatch. I read the incuabation chart and just did the suggested temps and humidity and they were in with chicken eggs that came out last week and hatch already... I didn't know about misting either

I'm a chicken hatcher and my fingers are crossed big time!

Aircells look like a day 20 on the above chart... except one of them (out of 5) looks like it's between days 10 and 15.... how can one aircell be so off? The chicks are all moving and in. It's day 23!! what do I do???? just raise humidity?? it's at 35 right now.... oh shoot.. it might be too late for me (

 

[ducklover101202]

That humidity is too low. Ducks need a higher humidity. I keep my humidity between 60 and 70% for duck eggs and made it between 70 and 80% for lock down. I tried chicken eggs last year(my first time) none hatched.(bad incubator but also only had 2 eggs). This year I did duck eggs. I only got 3 duck eggs though but made a home made incubator and all 3 hatched! Looks like i have better luck with ducks. I now have 3 healthy ducklings in the brooder as I type this.

I didn't mist mine throughout the whole incubation and all hatched out fine. None needed any help.