Wish me luck! Call duck lockdown today!

[AngeJD]

From an original 18 eggs set, 11 call duck eggs have made it to lockdown today! 5 were yolkers, and 2 had early deaths (1, I discovered, was a double yolker and made it to about 15 days, the other had a blood ring on day 7).

Lots of wobbling, but I'm keeping an eye on three of them...one is a rather small egg, and the other two have smaller air cells than I would have liked (which I find strange considering they were all incubated with the same temp and humidity).

Incubation was at 55% humidity, and 37.7C. Lockdown now at 68-70% humidity and 37.1-37.2C. Did my last candle this morning, and there was significant draw down and shadowing, so I'll keep an eye and candle tonight. I do a safety hole once I see internal pip, and following what I've learned here, will open up the air cell 12 hours after internal pip. Had to assist every single egg last hatch (but only 4 made it to lockdown) and ended up with 2 survivors.

I'm crossing my fingers for a good hatch...this set is my last from my pair, who are moving up to a friend's farm next week with lots of room to forage and free range, plus a big pond!

 

[cherrynberry]

From an original 18 eggs set, 11 call duck eggs have made it to lockdown today! 5 were yolkers, and 2 had early deaths (1, I discovered, was a double yolker and made it to about 15 days, the other had a blood ring on day 7).

Lots of wobbling, but I'm keeping an eye on three of them...one is a rather small egg, and the other two have smaller air cells than I would have liked (which I find strange considering they were all incubated with the same temp and humidity).

Incubation was at 55% humidity, and 37.7C. Lockdown now at 68-70% humidity and 37.1-37.2C. Did my last candle this morning, and there was significant draw down and shadowing, so I'll keep an eye and candle tonight. I do a safety hole once I see internal pip, and following what I've learned here, will open up the air cell 12 hours after internal pip. Had to assist every single egg last hatch (but only 4 made it to lockdown) and ended up with 2 survivors.

I'm crossing my fingers for a good hatch...this set is my last from my pair, who are moving up to a friend's farm next week with lots of room to forage and free range, plus a big pond!

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I have the same incubator!!! We got a 10/15 hatch with it, with 12 being actually fertile. I love the incubator...I think the losses were due to our electricity power outage. Good luck! Keep this thread posted!

 

[AngeJD]

I have the same incubator!!! We got a 10/15 hatch with it, with 12 being actually fertile. I love the incubator...I think the losses were due to our electricity power outage. Good luck! Keep this thread posted!

I looooove this bator!

 

[Tonyroo]

Why did you drop the temperature for lockdown ? And yes I know it’s in Celsius.

 

[AngeJD]

Why did you drop the temperature for lockdown ? And yes I know it’s in Celsius.

I dunno, I read both that you should keep temp the same and up humidity, as well as the other side which says to drop temp and up humidity. In this case I read "drop temp" first and that's how I did my first hatch, figured it worked ok so didn't change it (the 2 I lost before were malpositioned). What are others thoughts on dropping temp vs. maintaining temp for lockdown?

 

[Tonyroo]

Just curious about why.

 

[AngeJD]

Something about the babies generating heat I guess?

Here's a good thread on it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/temp-at-lockdown.411066/

As an update, we're officially at day 24, and 8/11 have internally pipped. I ninja-ed a sauna in my bathroom with the shower and kettle on....quickest I've ever candled 11 eggs. And the tiny peeps coming out of the eggs makes me super happy.

If no progress by tomorrow afternoon, I'll put in a safety hole.

I honestly don't remember being this excited when either of my kids were being born

 

[AngeJD]

Well, 9/11 internally pipped, and have safety holes.

This one is concerning.

The air cell has gotten HUGE, almost half, and I thought it strange there was no bill pushing against the membrane. Then saw the bruise on the opposite side, so I'm guess duckling is backwards. What do I do? I can't put a safety hole there...I can't see the veins, etc. Movement is getting a little less, but since hatch day isn't until tomorrow, I'm inclined to wait and see if it'll pip externally? Is that usually what you should do?

 

[AngeJD]

There were 2 backwards ducklings, and we lost one....I should have intervened earlier but I wanted to give it a few hours to try and pip...lesson learned.

10/11 hatched....which is amazing though! I was up til 4am assisting, and 3 are still in the incubator with the last bit of shell in ICU lol. I'll keep a close eye.

7 are in the brooder, and I'll give them a warm bath later to get the last bits of hatching gunk off them. Here they are! Tiny tiny beaks...the smallest of them weighs 19 grams, and the biggest weighs 27 grams!

 

[AngeJD]

Here's the first to hatch, all fluffed and ready for the brooder!