[egglady]

I've got 11 fertile duck eggs in my incubator - about day 21.  I candled them all last night and the air space is too small for what the book says it should be.  i think this is because i have had too much water in the reservoirs.  is there anything i can do between now and hatching to 'fix' the problem?  i'm kind of guessing that too small an air space will means that the ducks wont be able to breathe and likely die - is that right?

any advice very gratefully received!

[NorthWestPoultry.co.uk]

hi
best advice i can give you is never incubate with water in no matter what the books or instructions say only put water in when  you stop turning 3 days before as i was always told they feed on the water from the shell and dont use up the valueable yolk sack so they have no strength to hatch and you will find theam dead in the shell with a large yellow york sack weather this is right
i dont now but i never put water in till 3 days before hatch and always get atleast a 80% hatch
regards
mark

[egglady]

oh dear!  that makes sense.  Do you think I will have killed them then?  I've also been misting them every so often (when i remember) as i remember reading somewhere that you should do that with duck eggs?  if i soak all the water up might that make a difference or is it too late now?

[jameslindsay]

I think perhaps you may have lost them but you never know. Fingers crossed.

[bamford6]

iv got the same problem i think you will have problems iv been doing incubating a long time so dont get dawn heres Whit to do iff you check the humidity out side.at the moment its 97% iff its high use no water in the incubater   getting back to the problem expect you have lost the lot when they should hatch let them start piping only give 24 houris like that get you're thumb and help make the line off the crack iff the top comes off try and tip the duck out do not unteach ENE think that will do damage you could save some .iffy you re not up to that they will stop as they are very sorry IL post some advice ,i hope all goes well .please let us no

[egglady]

Bamford6/Gary, I'm having a wee bit trouble understanding your post - sorry!

i'm not sure what i am to do regarding the humidity outside the incubator?  i understand the bit about helping them out and yes, i'm fine about doing that and understand not to touch them.

i definately saw one of the eggs move last night - so maybe there is hope?

[jameslindsay]

Sometimes you hearthem "cheep" a day or so before hatching.

[egglady]

so should I move from "downheartened" to "hopeful" do you think???

and should i DO anything??

[jameslindsay]

I think it's a case of wait and see now. Hopefully you will get some hatch.

[shetlandpaul]

thats life you can do everything right and get a bad hatch and you can mess up and get a very good one. when the hatch is over have a look and see what the state of the failed ones were. i prefer to find failed or very yound dead ones than fully matured.

[egglady]

I have to tell everyone...... We just heard them cheep!!!!!  Am so excited.  Think it was only one but have seen a couple of the eggs moving as well.  Day 25 so have stopped turning them now and will be eagerly waiting for the next 36 or so hours!!!

Any advice please?  mist / not mist / water in reservoir or not???  many thanks

Laura

and lambs due any day now too...soo exciting!

[jameslindsay]

Fantastic news, all the best.

[Helencus]

Good luck im day 18 with chicken eggs. I understand you need the humidity in the last few days to assist the shell in being soft enough for them to break thru and the chick not to stick to the shell. My first hatch though so I'm sure more experienced folks will reply. All the best.

[Touchwood]

hi
best advice i can give you is never incubate with water in no matter what the books or instructions say only put water in when  you stop turning 3 days before as i was always told they feed on the water from the shell and dont use up the valueable yolk sack so they have no strength to hatch and you will find theam dead in the shell with a large yellow york sack weather this is right
i dont now but i never put water in till 3 days before hatch and always get atleast a 80% hatch
regards
mark

Hi, does that apply to chick eggs as well? We've just hatched our first eggs in the incubator, out of 12, 3 were infertile, 5 hatched, but 4 were dead in shell with a fairly large yolk sack still attached. We're going to put another batch in today so any advice or opinions would be welcome

[egglady]

what a day!!

got up this morning and found 3 fluffy wee ducklings in the incubator.  Went to collect 10 hubbards from Graeme & Carol (kindlt collected for us from Andrew) and when we got back home, another 3 had hatched out and another 2 pipped.  Moved the biggest two to a cardboard box with a hot water bottle in it and lamp above.

Then took horse over to a pals for a few months and when we got back one of the sheep was acting strangely.............a short time later she delivered her first lamb (a black ram lamb) and then when we were watching, she delivered a delightful wee brown girl for us!

Eventually got the children fed at 9pm tonight and now exhausted!!!