[Lavinia]

Hi

As i have a December birthday my beautiful son has given me an incubator for a joint Christmas/birthday present. It has 18 Khaki Campbell duck eggs in it, well until last night. I did my first candling after much intensive research on the internet. i found a great site that showed a video of a lady candling here eggs. Three were clearly infertile so i have removed them we are now on day 12 of incubation and I'm soooooo excited that we might have ducklings in January (roughly 14th). Would it be possible to bug you all for advise along the way.

[jameslindsay]

What a great present. I have incubated duck eggs many times and it is a wonderful experience, good luck and enjoy as they grow so fast. Please feel free to ask advice, If I can help I will.

[Lavinia]

thanks this is the first time i have incubated any birds, the incubator instructions say that i need to fill one well at the bottom every 3 days (brinsea octagon Eco 20) but always seems really low so i have been doing it now about every 2 1/2 days. I'm afraid to open it too often, as i have to lift out the tray of eggs to get to the water.....we have only got 2 ducks so I'm looking forward to having more. They are both khaki campbells as well.  Is 15 out of 18 a good fertility rate for this time of year...

[jameslindsay]

I think 15 out of 18 is good at any time of the year. The only advice I would give you is, I see you stay in Mid Lothian, well I was tolf that in Scotland you do not add water. The first few attempts I had I added water as the instructions said and had a very low success rate. As soon as I added only a drop of water at day 1 I had superb success.

[Rosemary]

I have also been told not to add water (in Scotland) as humidity is high enough.

Good luck - very exciting.

[Lavinia]

oops  have been adding water since day one, will have to see how this lot goes, i was hoping to at least end up with ten maybe that was a bit adventurous. Feel slightly deflated....

[jameslindsay]

Don't be, you never know you may still do very well. Your first time is always a worrying one, but practice makes perfect they say. I have had quite a few hatchings that have been 100% successful. I am now thinking of incubating a few Shetland Geese eggs which is exciting.

[Lavinia]

do you think i should reduce the amount of water in them for the remaining time or just stick to the instructions and see what happens??

[jameslindsay]

I would stop to be honest. I put the eggs in and switch the incubator on, it is fully automatic and then on day 15 if I remember I take each egg out and spray it with room temperature water and leave it for ONLY 15 minutes before returning the eggs to the incubator. I once forgot and that was a disaster.

[little blue]

Heehee, good news on getting your dream present Lavinia!
Keep us posted.
Any reason you started with ducks?  Just wondered.  (Haven't got mine yet, too many unexpected crises over the last few weeks.. but if the Insurance company get a shift on I've been promised an incubator for the spring!)

[Lavinia]

little blue i think i must have missed something, i don't know about "the crisis"?

will not put any more water in, thanks you James

[Lavinia]

Oh Little Blue

No real reason for starting with ducks only that we love duck eggs and i have to buy them so would like a flock of my own. We already have enough Chickens, i think (not sure)...

can't wait hope i get some to hatch and that it hasn't been a total disaster. Just shows that forum's work. This has been the first one i have ever wrote on....

Lavinia

[CameronS]

I was tolf that in Scotland you do not add water

Is that the same for hens eggs then?
I'm going to be using a Brinsea Mini Advance fully auto,

[jameslindsay]

I would imagine so Cameron.

[little blue]

No real reason for starting with ducks only that we love duck eggs and i have to buy them so would like a flock of my own. We already have enough Chickens, i think (not sure)...
Lavinia

Why, how many is 'enough' chickens??!! I'd have thought theres aways enough room for just a few more...

I'd like to hatch duck eggs, just to watch the ducklings grow.  But we couldnt really keep them here for several reasons, german shepherd being the main one!

No, you've not missed anything, I've not moaned on here yet as I'm still abit sensitive... lets just say its been one thing after another and we are out of pocket £300, owed £100 and have spent christmas 'nursing' and now hospital visiting.  Grrrr, so much for a holiday!

(sorry, I've hijacked your post!)