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Author Topic: Have I killed them?  (Read 9161 times)

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2010, 09:04:50 pm »
No sign of any life.  Think they're dead. But will leave them till Tuesday then bin them and try again.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

BlueDaisy

  • Joined Aug 2010
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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #16 on: September 05, 2010, 09:01:42 am »
You could always try candling one of them or doing a water test...
fill a deep bowl or jug with warm (same temp as incy) water and bob the egg in it. If the duckling is alive you will see movement. I always do this before I throw any away.
And I've known hen eggs hatch 3 days late so with duck eggs taking longer anyway, I'd probably leave them til Friday unless I was absolutely sure they were dead.

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #17 on: September 05, 2010, 01:14:36 pm »
You could always try candling one of them or doing a water test...
fill a deep bowl or jug with warm (same temp as incy) water and bob the egg in it. If the duckling is alive you will see movement. I always do this before I throw any away.
And I've known hen eggs hatch 3 days late so with duck eggs taking longer anyway, I'd probably leave them til Friday unless I was absolutely sure they were dead.
Friday would be a week overdue, but if there's a chance I'll give it a go.  Never heard of the water test - will try that now.  I'm no use at candling
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #18 on: September 07, 2010, 01:40:24 pm »
Have thrown them out.  No sign of life when candled and bobbed in water.  Brian who owns the incubator came round today and tested and reset the temperature gauge   Going to disinfect it and retry with four more I have here. (dated 4th/5th/6th and 7th)

He also said not to put water in till 2/3 days before hatching. So if setting date is tomorrow, hatching date should be 29th or thereabouts.  I'm away from 24th to 27th and don't want my dog sitter to have any hassle - how early might they be?  If they hatch on the Monday I'll be back, but wouldn't want them hatching over the weekend unless she can leave them in the incubator till I get back.  I could leave them a few more days before setting, as I'm still getting an egg every day from Jack and Jill, so could use the oldest ones and set the newer ones.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

jameslindsay

  • Joined Feb 2009
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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #19 on: September 07, 2010, 02:06:28 pm »
Annie the way I do it is;

Leave the incubator running empty for 24 plus hours with NO water.

Put the eggs in and leave them for 15 days and let the incubator turn them.

I candle between 7 and 10 days but do it frequently once I start spraying with water.

After 15 days take the eggs out and spray them with room temperature water, you can only leave out for up to 15 minutes. Remember to leave the lid on the incubator to keep the temperature.

3 days before due date switch off the auto turner and wait. I still spray the eggs on these days until I see signs of pipping.

I never add any water.

Since following these steps I have had a far healthier rate of hatching. I have though had some start pipping 4 days before due date!! This would not suit if you are away though but you have no way of knowing what will happen.

Good luck.

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #20 on: September 07, 2010, 02:37:50 pm »
The incubator has no controls other than temperature.  You can't see through the perspex as it's yellowed, the cradle has to be fully taken out to candle or spray or put water in.  I think I'll wait till Friday then put the new eggs in.  Thanks for your help James.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

BlueDaisy

  • Joined Aug 2010
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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #21 on: September 08, 2010, 08:54:57 am »
Is this ducks or chickens?
Chicks take 21 days but ducks take 28 days (I think)
Off to check books now...
Yep, 28 days for ducks. :)

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #22 on: September 08, 2010, 09:58:32 am »
Is this ducks or chickens?
Chicks take 21 days but ducks take 28 days (I think)
Off to check books now...
Yep, 28 days for ducks. :)
Thank you but I already knew that, I have had ducks since 2003 - the 28 days was up last Friday, I left them till Tuesday this week then binned them.  I am getting one a day from Jill so will set the incy up again on Friday with four or five.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

BlueDaisy

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Grow your own - veg and chooks!
Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2010, 10:26:13 am »
Hi Annie,
Sorry didn't mean to question your duck knowledge, I just got confused because you started the thread talking about duck eggs and then here you say

 
Quote
So if setting date is tomorrow, hatching date should be 29th or thereabouts.  I'm away from 24th to 27th and don't want my dog sitter to have any hassle - how early might they be?  If they hatch on the Monday I'll be back, but wouldn't want them hatching over the weekend unless she can leave them in the incubator till I get back.  I could leave them a few more days before setting, as I'm still getting an egg every day from Jack and Jill, so could use the oldest ones and set the newer ones.

Which is only 21 days - I didn't know if Jack and Jill were ducks or hens ;)
Hens, obviously ;)

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2010, 10:51:44 am »
Nope, they are ducks - you have spotted the deliberate error  ;)  Just goes to show I took up the wrong vocation!  Should never have been an accountant, I'm not very good with figures  ::) ;D ;D ;D  Anyway going to set them on Friday - 10th September so hope they will hatch 28 days later on 8th October!  What a numpty I am! ::) ::)
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

BlueDaisy

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Grow your own - veg and chooks!
Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #25 on: September 08, 2010, 10:55:30 am »
Phew! ;D

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #26 on: September 08, 2010, 04:26:27 pm »
Annie, I found that in the last few days before hatching if i chatted to the eggs they started rocking. When i saw the first pip I kept chatting away every so often and this seem to encourage the baby to keep trying to get out of the shell. Hope all goes well this time round.  ;D

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #27 on: September 08, 2010, 06:23:38 pm »
Thanks, Sabrina, I might try that.  I'll talk to anything that moves anyway! lol
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Rosemary

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #28 on: September 08, 2010, 09:35:12 pm »
Maybe quacking to them would be a good idea  ;D :&>

doganjo

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Re: Have I killed them?
« Reply #29 on: September 08, 2010, 11:34:22 pm »
Maybe quacking to them would be a good idea  ;D :&>
That gave me a good giggle - I needed one tonight! ;D
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

 

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