Hi!
My 11-year-old daughter and I are new and posting together here as we try for the first time to hatch Rouen ducklings! We posted this earlier but another kind member told me it was in the wrong place, so I'm hoping this is the correct spot! Can someone please provide advice on how to set the humidity for lockdown for our group of eggs based on the history?
Background: We are using a Genesis Hova-Bator styrofoam incubator with a fan. We have spent hours over the past weeks reading in the learning center, printing articles, reading forums and want to THANK YOU for sharing information that we have already applied – especially @WVduckchick, @Ravynscroft, @pete55, @Sally Sunshine, @Miss Lydia, @casportpony and so many others I can’t list them all.
We bought Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks, and followed the initial recommendation of 99.5 degrees Farenheit and 55% relative humidity. A local duck farmer provided us with 28 Rouen duck eggs, 23 were fertile, and we lost 1 egg in the first week. As of Day 24, in candling we saw good blood vessels and movement in all 22 remaining eggs. 4 of the eggs showed what we think were attempts at internal pips while we candled – which was so exciting! I'm including a photo from the video we took when we *think* we saw an attempt at an internal pip. The shadow went back and forth into the air sac.
What we discovered over the last week through candling was that the air sac was not large enough, so we removed all water from the trough, but misted once a day. The humidity definitely dropped. There was definite progression in the size of the air sacs, but now at Day 24 many eggs have air sacs measuring about a Day 21 size of development. Some eggs look they have good air sac sizes, so it's a mixed status of development. I’m including a photo, but am not sure how well it shows the pencil markings of the air sacs.
What is your recommendation for humidity during lockdown for this group of eggs? My understanding is that the humidity affects how rubbery or easily penetrable the air sac is for the internal pip and that is of utmost i mportance for duckling success. However, I also read that high humidity is a must for the last days during lockdown so membranes don't dry out.
I would love for an experienced eye to look at these eggs and provide a recommendation. We don't want the ducklings to struggle or to drown and we are torn!
Thank you in advance!
My 11-year-old daughter and I are new and posting together here as we try for the first time to hatch Rouen ducklings! We posted this earlier but another kind member told me it was in the wrong place, so I'm hoping this is the correct spot! Can someone please provide advice on how to set the humidity for lockdown for our group of eggs based on the history?
Background: We are using a Genesis Hova-Bator styrofoam incubator with a fan. We have spent hours over the past weeks reading in the learning center, printing articles, reading forums and want to THANK YOU for sharing information that we have already applied – especially @WVduckchick, @Ravynscroft, @pete55, @Sally Sunshine, @Miss Lydia, @casportpony and so many others I can’t list them all.
We bought Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks, and followed the initial recommendation of 99.5 degrees Farenheit and 55% relative humidity. A local duck farmer provided us with 28 Rouen duck eggs, 23 were fertile, and we lost 1 egg in the first week. As of Day 24, in candling we saw good blood vessels and movement in all 22 remaining eggs. 4 of the eggs showed what we think were attempts at internal pips while we candled – which was so exciting! I'm including a photo from the video we took when we *think* we saw an attempt at an internal pip. The shadow went back and forth into the air sac.
What we discovered over the last week through candling was that the air sac was not large enough, so we removed all water from the trough, but misted once a day. The humidity definitely dropped. There was definite progression in the size of the air sacs, but now at Day 24 many eggs have air sacs measuring about a Day 21 size of development. Some eggs look they have good air sac sizes, so it's a mixed status of development. I’m including a photo, but am not sure how well it shows the pencil markings of the air sacs.
What is your recommendation for humidity during lockdown for this group of eggs? My understanding is that the humidity affects how rubbery or easily penetrable the air sac is for the internal pip and that is of utmost i mportance for duckling success. However, I also read that high humidity is a must for the last days during lockdown so membranes don't dry out.
I would love for an experienced eye to look at these eggs and provide a recommendation. We don't want the ducklings to struggle or to drown and we are torn!
Thank you in advance!
Glad you joined us!
