I set 30 duck eggs in a still-air incubator automatic turn. 6 hatched fine and the rest died within 2 days of hatch date. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
I have only set duck eggs once, but look at the instructions that came with your incubator. They usually have a trouble shooting list that will help you narrow the problems to a few likely ones. I would guess either too much moisture or too little, but probably the former. The humidity is supposed to be reduced a little before hatch, but moisture should be added if you take several of the hatchlings out so they don't dry out so much as to be unable to escape the shell. Others are bound to be more expert than I on this question. Did all the others die two days before, or did you gradually lose them up to two days before? We had a number of infertile eggs that we gradually eliminated over the course of incubation.
Thank you Dr.Smith for all your advice . We have 4 healthy ducklings .All the rest died at 26 days .
Need to know two things were these eggs by chance mail order, and if not have you observed the other offspring from the parent birds????
We have one drake and four hens , all mallards . The eggs we used should have been fresh , all the eggs were fertile /they all developed .The incubator was in a cellor type basement and i used as much moisture as the incubator would hold , but i did not mist the eggs with water .I already have over two dozen eggs that i will try to incubate this week .I would appreciate any help/advice! thanks Brad
Advice Hmmm. Try getting them out of the basement and into a temperate romm in the house one with the least amount of traffic eye the water resevoir close. the reason I asked about the parent stock, several years ago I had a poor hatch and what did hatch was heart breaking the tops of the heads had not formed in the shell and they hatched with the brains exposed, The local co-op poultry expert told me ducks are prone to folic acid(a B vitamin)deficiency which can cause poor hatching and birth defects. Also ducks seem to me to be more attentive to their eggs constantly turning them if you have an egg turning kit this would be helpful. I hope this may have helped you Good Luck
By Dr. Bruce Smith (Brucesmith) on Thursday, October 28, 1999 - 09:04 am:
By Bbraafhart on Friday, October 29, 1999 - 10:33 pm:
By MEERS on Monday, November 8, 1999 - 06:47 pm:
By Bbraafhart on Wednesday, November 10, 1999 - 11:04 pm:
By MEERS on Friday, November 12, 1999 - 06:19 pm:
P.S. administer the folic acid to the parents in their feed a vet can tell you how much.