The Duck Thread

[WVduckchick]

Not to sound funny but are you misting the eggs during the incubation process ??  and if so how often ?? this will make a big difference ....

It may make a "big difference" if misting too much/too often. Never misting is not uncommon.

 

[OldMissionChick]

Have you tried float test....? It can sometimes detect movement you can't see...

How do I do that?

Not to sound funny but are you misting the eggs during the incubation process ??  and if so how often ?? this will make a big difference ....

omg what a dummy I am! I forgot :'(

It may make a "big difference" if misting too much/too often. Never misting is not uncommon.

Would they still quit if not misted? Humidity was high 30's low 40's

 

[gander007]

Quote:
True but I watch my ducks and geese and they get wet even in the winter and go back to their nest at least once a day so I try to mist my eggs at least once every three days till day 25 and for me it makes a huge difference and it also makes the egg shell more brittle and easer to peck out of .....

But to each their own .....

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Every environment is different as every incubator is different or it's location in the house or shop but a person should always try to get the incubator in a room where there is little change in temp and little draft ......

When I mist the eggs in my incubator the humidity in my incubator will get up to 60% which drops the temp as it takes heat to warm the mist into humidity and then the humidity and temp will level out so I do not change anything during this process but to each their own as location to location every thing changes so tech-necks change .....

In the last 20 years I have hatched out many different types of eggs with this incubator ..

Ya used many times ..



I found using a wet hand towel works better for me then standing water and easer to control the humidity and temp .......




I have found for me but I do live in the desert that web footed birds hatch better with a higher humidity but then again location of the hatching makes a difference on the tech-neck one will use ....



A person sometimes needs to keep written records of what works and what is not working for where they live but the time not to give up is after a bad hatch because the incubator is all set and I have found will do better the next time around .......



If you have local people hatching ask them what method they are using .....


















gander007

 

[OldMissionChick]

Every environment is different as every incubator is different or it's location in the house or shop but a person should always try to get the incubator in a room where there is little change in temp and little draft ...... When I mist the eggs in my incubator the humidity in my incubator will get up to 60% which drops the temp as it takes heat to warm the mist into humidity and then the humidity and temp will level out so I do not change anything during this process but to each their own as location to location every thing changes so tech-necks change ..... In the last 20 years I have hatched out many different types of eggs with this incubator .. Ya used many times .. I found using a wet hand towel works better for me then standing water and easer to control the humidity and temp ....... I have found for me but I do live in the desert that web footed birds hatch better with a higher humidity but then again location of the hatching makes a difference on the tech-neck one will use .... A person sometimes needs to keep written records of what works and what is not working for where they live but the time not to give up is after a bad hatch because the incubator is all set and I have found will do better the next time around ....... If you have local people hatching ask them what method they are using ..... gander007

I think that is my biggest problem, I dont know anyone near me that hatches ducks with an incubator. Even our 4H group deals mostly with chickens and those with ducks are also first years with little to no experience or deal with muskovies (spelling??) which have a longer incubation than all other ducks. I have the incubator in a spare room with the doors & windows closed. I thought the room was cold so have a heater running in the room to keep the room temp stable. I am also in Northern Michigan just south of the 45th parallel and altitude is about 1450ft above sea level. I wasn't sure if it was our ducks are to young. I wish they were broody, they would probably do a better job than I have.

 

[season1223]

Thanks everyone. The guy who gave them to us told us to leave them in there for a few days. Then to let them out in a fenced in area for a few weeks then try to free range them. It just seems so mean to leave them in their house for 3 days

im going to get a fence up tomorroe for them. It wont be predator safe but im home all day and their little house is safe. That way they can at least get out of there and arent cooped up.

here is a better picture of them

im in love lol

It does seem mean but it really isn't! It's so they can learn where their home is...i had to do the with my banties when i first got them! 2 days is usually plenty but when u let them out...if they don't go bk in at night, u may have to try it again! Theyre quick learner tho! It's way better than having them stray too far from home and getting eaten by a predator! Thats just how they learn their safe place! My duck and chicken just free range during the day and go in coop at night...no fenced in area! We have 13 acres but they never get too far from the house!

 

[BODEENY]

Sorry for this chicken question but is it pine woodchips or Cedar woodchips that chicks can't go with??

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sorry for this chicken question but is it pine woodchips or Cedar woodchips that chicks can't go with??

No cedar, too aromatic... aspen is better than pine if that's a choice...

 

[caesargirl]

How do I do that?
omg what a dummy I am! I forgot :'(
Would they still quit if not misted? Humidity was high 30's low 40's

Put an egg in a bowl of warm water, if it moves, the baby is moving... Also, in every one of my hatches, I run my bator dry. I add no moisture unless it drops into the 20s. Despite problem eggs and some electrical issues, mine hatch. This is only my opinion and the way I do things though. And if you do the float test, only for short moments.
Let us know how things are going. I would love to try to figure out what's going on with your eggs.
Any chance you took pics of your candlings?

 

[JadeComputerGal]

How do I do that?
omg what a dummy I am! I forgot :'(
Would they still quit if not misted? Humidity was high 30's low 40's

You mean it was at that range in the first 25 days, right? Not during lockdown?