I just completed incubation of 5 mallard eggs and 5 pekin eggs in my first grade classroom. Only 4 ducklings hatched and they had a difficult time getting out of their eggs. This is the second year this has happened and want to know how I can improve my hatchability. Why can't they get out of the eggs on their own? What can I do to improve their chances next year?
your problem sounds like humidity being too low
bigo,
Today is the 28th day for my duck eggs in the incubator. It sure seems to be taking them a long time to break out of those eggs. How long does it usually take?
hatch should start 27/28 day and can take a bit ducks dont have nasty beaks to peck so they use a softer shell thats the main reason for the humidity, spring hatching when the weather is wet anyway should take care of the incbation and extra should only need be added after 26 day to soften the eggshell dont lift the lidafter high humid starts if still air, forced draught no so fussey, even after 30 days you might still get something, its all to do with incubator experiance, disapointment and eventual success and not relaying on manufacturars instrucions too much
By Bigo on Tuesday, May 18, 1999 - 12:26 am:
i have heard from some experts and they suggest spraying with misting bottle at least once daily
maybe this would help hope so
bigo
By Cathy Bartkowski (Cathy) on Tuesday, May 18, 1999 - 07:50 pm:
Thanks for your input. I thought it might be humidity. I did keep the bottom tray of the incubator filled with water and sprayed the eggs twice a day. The incubator is styrofoam so I wonder if it is absorbing all the humidity?
By Roan on Monday, June 14, 1999 - 04:12 pm:
By Dumpie on Sunday, June 11, 2000 - 04:17 pm: