Ducking Never Hatched- Photos

[Ktbui]

8 fully active duck eggs go into lockdown. 4 days later, 5 never pipped. I candled it and there's zero movement and it looks like jelly inside.

I decided to open one up.

He was fully formed but did not absorb the yolk sac. I do the cooling and misting technique.

Incubation: 99.5 with 40-60% humidity.
Lockdown: 99.5 with 65-70% humidity.

I have a 100% hatch rate with chicks but very little with ducks.

Why are they dying??

 

[Kiki]

Did you salt test your humidity gauge?
It could be your humidity is too high.

 

[sady___]

Generally, the babes won’t absorb their yolk sacks until they pip through the shell- hence why it takes so long for ducklings to unzip. I’ve never hatched chickens so I’m unsure if that’s the same with process with them.

With both of my batches of ducklings, I’ve always dropped the temp a degree or two during lockdown because I’ve heard that they can overheat easily during the hatching process.

Maybe give that a try? I’m sorry you lost so many of your babes, it’s never easy