Duck egg hatching

[Samantha1415]

Hey I posted a few days ago about my duck eggs air cells that are saddled, I was wondering if anyone had any advice about hatching? They are doing so well at the moment and I would like to know what I can do to help them hatch with the saddled cells. Any better position they should be in or a certain humidity that will help hatching, I’m not sure but any advice would be great, thank you!

 

[MaransMarion]

Hi, I've had Saddle Air Sacs in Posted Chicken Eggs, but same process for Duck Eggs...
Posted Eggs get shaken about in the Posting / Mailing process...

An egg is basically a vessel of liquid within a shell container. Think of one of those Builders Spirit Level Tool... An Air Bubble is always at the top !
So... The Egg needs to get all that air back to the top. (Air is always lighter than liquid...hence floats to top.)
So on receiving any Egg, you need to 'Set it' in that, the egg is placed [Set] in a settle position, pointed end down, in an eg Egg Carton, Egg Tray etc.
In a place where temperature stays the same, day and night. Not by window, or heating. At Room Temperature eg 16 Celsius / 61 Fahrenheit, or near to.
Air Saddles can 'heal' into a more normal like Air Sac, like those in non posted eggs (!) However, air sac membranes can get kinda distorted, mishapen through shipment process.
But on Resting, Settling, so air raises back up in the egg, and placed at a
45 degree semi upright position in
the Incubator*. Turner or Manual Incubator systems, same applies !
(See Tip below.) Start = No turning !

Use an cardboard carton egg box lid, or breathable egg holder, eg nest of scrunched paper towels etc, will need to be done, until the Lockdown day. See relevant day of Lockdown (Day of putting eggs on the base of the Incubator, and AND you Stop Turning your eggs, "Lockdown." Chickens it's Lockdown on Day 18...
Runner Ducks Lockdown it's Day 25...

Tip :
* All Posted / Mailed Eggs are best to be Rested / Set / and placed in the Incubator at a 45 degree upright tilt, but NOT turned for the first few initial days of incubation... Read up your incubation times re egg breed.
*Will enable those mixed up air pockets to float to top, when egg is warmed (incubated) at 37.5c / F: temp
Warming effects the way air moves, so by no turning for at least a few days, helps air particles to "rise" properly, and hence heal to a better Air Sac status, which is what Saddle Sacs, Damaged Air Cells are, and can be improved upon... hopefully.

On my second Duck incubation in my Incubator. All eggs to date, show fertile veining at, or by day 10, so, watch AND 'see.' To what will be and embryo. To that of a non fertile or cellular damage egg where a chick, or, duckling, will never happen !!!
***Sellers often say great % of Fertility, but, you get very few eggs being so called 'fertlle.'
***Don't blame the Seller. Blame the Shipping process, and the associated 'cellular damage.'...
eg, x3 Eggs given in person, by hand shown to be all 100% fertile.
x6 Posted Eggs, only "x2" fertile, aka, other, x4 were not fertilised or so shaken, that air bubbles damaged or inhibited the start of development !

Hope this helps you...Try, try, try again !

Memo on Egg viability :
Egg parents age, mating or not, and juvenile breeding pairs affect egg fertility... Not just Air Saddle issues.
And, Incubators, humidity, and altered room temperature have an effect on the egg as well....
Happy and

 

[MaransMarion]

Good luck.... on your Hatches

 

[MaransMarion]

And, on Lockdown, place those eggs on their sides without that 45 degree support.* And maintain the set temperature and humidity: 45% for incubation, and 60% for Lockdown.
Humidity is by surface volume, not depth of water ! Wide and very shallow, better than small and deep !!!
Use dampened sponges or moist cloth in hatching rather than having open bowls of water that chick, or ducklings can drown in.
If in doubt, >>cover water containers<< with, breathable material, so moisture gets through but hatchlings can't.
*
Some BYCers have kept badly effected Air Cell Eggs, even at the 45 degree position, in container, for the hatching* as well. But, as Lockdown, takes several days, the chick or duckling can't role about, in egg, like those lifted out of tray or container, and laid on their sides, for the hatching stage.

** See other BYC tips elsewhere, if you need more on whether tolie on their side or keep them tilted re air cell management...