I just wanted to say that I watched this video 3 years ago, before I got my first ever duck eggs to hatch, (it was going to be my first time hatching anything, ever.) and this method just clicked with me. The other methods seemed disconnected and just very hands off to me. But when I watched this video I knew this was the method I wanted to try. This method, over three years of my using it, has given me a 89.47% hatch rate. I will never ever use any other method. By the time the chicks hatch, they are bonded to my voice since I get to talk to them when turning every day. I get to candle them daily and see them grow. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for introducing this method to me. I will never use any other method :)
So helpful and useful information , I'm due to go collect 8 magpie duck eggs and 7 Cayuga duck eggs tomorrow , I'm hoping I get A good success rate for hatching with the information from your videos , first time I will be attempting to hatch eggs 🙂
Update: I misted the hell out of the breached egg a few times and the duckling slipped out of the shell. He is moving, but I guess we will see if he makes it. Going to leave him in the incubator for a bit
My duck eggs aren’t hatching and I did everything my incubator told me to and online but it still didn’t work until I did what you said and it worked thank you so much for this info
I found your videos very informative, and interesting. I've hatched duck eggs before...but I love this idea of using the wood chips to make it feel more like a nest. The only problem is, my incubator isn't as deep as yours..so using a container is out of the questions. Would I be able to put the wood chips directly on the wire that sits over the water (Where the eggs sit) ??
That would probably end up messy. What about a lid. That container I used came with a lid or just find the lid of something else that fits. Anything flat that fits and if it has sides, even an inch would do, it will work. There are 3 main points to remember. Firstly the wood shavings hold moisture, with moisture being the key to the whole thing. Secondly it gives the ducklings an absorbent, more natural, surface to hatch onto. Thirdly you must make sure no matter what you do, that adding the wood shavings doesn't create a fire hazard. Good luck.
Keep up the good work all that you're doing. Make more videos in depth because it seems like you're very knowledgeable I'm going to try the same thing and I agree we need to think more like mama duck and how she does things. So if the fact if you've done it more than twice and get the same result then I think your on the right path of something
I'm 14 and trying to hatch ducks, what month should I start to collect them and incubate them? Also my parent's aren't a big fan of the idea of them staying in my room because of the smell do u have any tips for the smell? Thank u
Hi Andrew. The best time of year to gather eggs for incubating is generally spring. You can get viable eggs all year round but spring through to early summer is usually the best. As for having them in your room. I wouldn't like to undermine your parents as it's their house so their rules. However I will say that incubating eggs shouldn't smell and if it does there's a problem. If, as I suspect, they are taking about the ducklings, well that's a different thing. Cleaning them out twice a day, and letting them bath in a sink of clean water every day will help, but at the end of the day duckling are smelly. Good luck.
I recommend that you don't if you can help it. When an egg is laid it's coated in what's called a "bloom". It is a clear coating that protects the egg and stops bacteria from getting into the egg. If you wash it off there is a much greater risk of the embryos dying partway through development.
Hi Jessica. All eggs should be incubated on their sides. Eggs are stored upright and if incubated in an automatic egg turner they tend to be upright but manual turning incubators have the eggs on their sides as does the mother bird if she incubates then.
I have a question for you. I put my duck eggs in a dish with shavings today after wks , will it hurt the eggs. I also have two sets of eggs incubating. Mini call ducks are incubating and harliquin ducks mix with an other breed are also incubating. Will they be okay to hatch at different times. The larger eggs should hatch in a couple weeks. The call ducks will hatch in four wks if all goes well. How often do I turn them
I don't understand the first part of the question, sorry. Having different hatch times is fine as long as you keep track of your days. Day 25 they must go into lock down so while the first lot are in lock down and hatching I would only turn the other eggs once a day until the first lot are finished and keep up the humidity. Also minimise the time you have the incubator open when do it. After the first lot are done with go back to the normal 8 hour turning until the second lot reach day 25, then lock them down.
what I was saying was I had the eggs on the floor of the incubator, then I switched to the shavings in a glass dish and put that back in the incubator, and the other eggs are surrounding the dish on the sides because their isn't enough room for all the eggs. So the call duck eggs are on the floor of the incubator while the bigger eggs are in the dish with the shavings. Hope that is okay
It's very much a personal choice. Here at Hilltop Farm we use the auto turner for chicken eggs and have a good success rate. With our ducks and quail however we have found our hatch rate to be very poor when we use the turner. This series will show you what we have discovered works best for our farm. I suggest that, if like me you are having trouble with your duck hatch rates, give this method a go. Hatching quail is different again but we still don't use the turner. Hope this answer helps. Good luck.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead We started the 2nd batch 2 days ago on the egg turner. What I am afraid of is we cant be around during the day to do 3 times per day. Can 2x morning and night work for manual turning. Can we take it out of the turner still and set up like u. Or should we see what happens and next time use manual turning 2x per day
Do you or when do you stop turning the eggs for a lockdown do you raise the humidity level towards the end of the hatch like you do on chickens or does it stay the same
Please help! There were a few ducks in my front lawn and when they left, I discovered a duck egg with a Few tiny cracks and an indent. But it is pretty Secure. I’m not sure what to do!?
@@mehrdad8551 Unfortunately there are a lot to great theories which may work if the egg only has a day or two before hatching but even then I've yet to find anything that works. Save yourself a lot of heartache and don't even try. Mother nature makes the egg a perfect safe haven for a baby bird to develop and she will pull the plug if that safe haven is compromised.
I'm incubating 9 duck eggs and 1 had a crack and 1 just some scraches from the mother her nails and they started developing but they died after some days so i'm sorry but you should trow it away (sorry for my bad english i'm from belgium)
I'm doing my first duck eggs. I have call ducks, runner and cayuga eggs. I have humidity at 45 % since Day 01, it's Day 08, do you think I should increase the humidity to 50%? or Higher 55-60%?
Hi Jasmine, If your on day 8 and you've been at 45% the whole time I'd up it to 60-65 until lock down they 70+ after that. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm Homestead thank you for your prompt response! I am going to increase the humidity and I will post back with an update. I have never incubated before so this is quite the exciting.
Well when they start pipping don't panic. Sometimes duck eggs can pip 48 hours before they hatch and nothing happens the whole time. Just be patient and then suddenly they start making their way out. Very Exciting.
I purchased a second incubator. Lockdown starts tomorrow (March 11) I have purchased a bin that fits inside the incubator. I will place some slip proof rubber drawer liner for grip. I have been misting them and hope they don't shrink wrap everytime I open the incubator..there are some that have huge air cells. The reason for the second incubator is because I've started to incubate other eggs and they still need to be turned. I am not sure if I will be able to sleep this week (they are in my bedroom closet). I promise to give them time to 'ripen' and not assist for the duration of their pipping. I hope it goes well for them.
for bedding you said wood chips or straw is ok to use? what about a combination of both. And, is there any risk of them eating this once they hatch while I wait for them to all be done hatching. I appreciate your advice :)
Would like to try that. I got the pair of mallard since they were ducklings. After 5 months, We finally had our first duck egg from them. Tho it is small. Would these first small eggs hatch to a duckling? Would it be worth to try to incubate them? Or should we just eat first eggs? And Do duck egg size matter if they will develop to ducklings or not? At what point can we decide to incubate their eggs?
They might hatch but my guess is that they would probably be infertile. It's not the size of the egg that matters. It's more that ducks so young may not be mating successfully yet. I normally wait until the parents are at least 7 months old but you can try before that if you like.
Sorry this question might be a bit long, when you said “when they are out of the incubator during the day” I didn’t quite understand. When do you take them out of the incubator ? I might be getting fertile eggs so if I do, the minute I get them what do I do ? Do I put them straight into the incubator?
Hi Ella. I'm not sure when i made that comment. Can you leave the time on the video that I said it? As for what to do once you get the eggs. Prepare the container with damp wood shavings or straw. Place your eggs in the wood shavings and keep them in a cool but not cold dark spot for 24 hours to settle. Turn them carefully morning and night but other than that leave them. After 24 hours place the container in the incubator and turn it on.
@@AmandaSEquineLife I'm referring to the period of time that I'm collecting eggs before the incubator gets turned on. How I store then before I start incubating.
I was at a farm and saw a bunch of ducks mistreating an egg. My brother and I decided to take the egg in for better care. I need your help I don’t have the money for an incubator and I just “rescued” the egg today. For the time being (which has been about an two hours) I’ve kept them in an blanket and I’m not even sure if it’s fertilized or not. How do I make sure this duckegg is fertilized and if it is how do I take care of it and successfully hatch it?
Unfortunately without an incubator or a broody duck or hen you can't. It's a nice idea that you and your brother had but the best thing you can do is just to get rid of the egg. Sorry.
Ok I found out some more info. Apparently the chick is in there backwards I think because I noticed it pipping from the front small side of the egg and then at the back. Apparently its tail is hanging out the back? I have been working all weekend but had my mom go check on him. What do I do in this instance if he is in the egg backwards?
Yes we've had quite a few "breach" hatching's ourselves but unfortunately they never make it either. I know you'll try, as I did, so good luck. To answer your question I live in South Australia but I was born in England.
Hilltop Farm that's a Shame. Well I guess I'll give him a chance and just wait it out. It's a shame because he has such a strong chirp. I thought you were English. I'm in the states in Missouri. Anyways thanks again and I apologize for blowing up your comments
@@bananapeel2839 I just bought this one for $40. I haven't used it yet but it gets really good reviews on Rural Kings website . "Farm Innovators Still Air Incubator 2100"
I have a couple questions to you I need an answer to asap if you don't mind. I bought a pair of ducks probably 2 years ago and recently found some eggs which I believe to have been outside for 10 days or so. I purchased an incubator and put them in. They are now on day 10 and I see movement in the eggs. My questions to you are, how crucial is it to take the eggs out once a day on day 10 and start spraying them and letting them cool? Will any hatch if I don't? Also, since I don't have an exact time frame of how long they were layed before i put them in an incubator, do I still remove the egg turner 3 days prior to day 28 even without knowing how long they were outside? Another question is, I believe I have a chicken egg incubator because they days only go to 21. Can I just restart the machine after it runs out of time and do a manual countdown to remove the egg turner 3 days before day 28 hatch day? Thank you so much.
I would start spraying them once or twice a day. Make sure you don't get any of the incubator workings wet. Make sure the temperature is set to 37.5 C or 99.5 F but the humidity is crucial. When the incubator gets to day 21 it should just reset to 0 or 1. It shouldn't turn off. Either way, on day 25 remove the egg turner, raise the humidity right up and leave the eggs alone. I still lift the lid a little each day to spray them but I don't handle them. If they are Muscovy eggs lock down is day 32 and they will hatch day 35ish. I think that answers everything. Any more questions just ask. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm thank you sir for the fast response. I honestly wasn't expecting any of them to actually make it so it took me by suprise a little when I candled them this afternoon. One more question, another video I watched the guy would take them out of the incubator and spray them once a day, then use a infrared thermometer after letting them sit and once they reached 87 , put them back in. would you just recommend me spraying them and putting them back in right after a quick spray or leaving them Out and letting them cool to 87 and then putting them back in? Also should I remove the eggs to spray them or just spray them while inside the incubator? Thank you so much for the help
@@hurt1704 I must confess that I have no idea what temperature you should let them cool to but I do think 5 minutes or so, depending on room temperature, out of the incubator every day is beneficial. You would be surprised how tough they are. I once accidentally turned off the incubator when I went to bed and didn't notice until lunchtime the next day. They were on about day 18 so I turned it back on and 6 of the 10 eggs survived and hatched. My point is don't worry about having them out too long.
Hilltop Farm ohh wow! That's crazy but I guess I can see why since they hatch in the wild without this much care. One last question and I'm done haha. You mentioned humidity is crucial, what humidity level is it best to keep them at while in the incubator? I have mine set at 55. My incubator says 52 preferred, but 50 to 55 is ok. What would you suggest?
You have to think like a duck, act like a duck you have to BECOME A DUCK!!! CRY QUACK QUACK AND LET SLIP THE DUCKS OF WAR!!!! But seriously, you have a point but from what i've learned myself and hard way, temparature should be like 37,7-37,8 (or it's just my incubator) Nonetgheless, good job and keep breeding!
I think you'll find there will be a variation between incubators. Unless you spend a fortune on the "Rolls Royce" of incubators, I think you'll find that they are not that accurate. I have 4 incubators and they're all slightly different and all cheap ones.
Hi Cheryl. No never wash your eggs. They have a natural substance called a "bloom" that coats the egg sealing the pores and prevents bacteria from getting in. If you wash them you will remove the bloom and you will loose the ducklings in the egg.
I thought so but was concerned with all the moisture of the bedding that the little bit of duck feces on the eggs would get in. Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly!! (: We have had such a hard time with the ducklings getting stuck in the eggs and are so excited about your method. It makes so much sense. Thank you again for freely sharing your knowledge! (:
@@cherylcherchio8793 Well good luck and let me know how you get on. And don't worry about all the moisture and muck around the eggs. Think about Mother duck. She's wet and filthy most of the time. Nature allows for that.
Serious question. 5 out of 6 hatched successfully with one struggling bad. Its been trying to hatch last night and today and still isn't out. It is broke through the shell some and can't seem to get out. What do I do? I'm afraid to help him because I know you aren't suppose to but I also don't want to not help and him die due to dehydration in an incubator with an open shell. Help please
I know how you feel. I've been there more times than I care to remember but bottom line is, if you help him, he'll probably die any way. I have helped 10 to 20 over the years and none have made it. Even when I thought they have, fail to thrive and die when they are a week old or something like that. My advise to you is help only if you must but I would be surprised if it helps in the long run. Mother nature seems harsh sometimes but she is brilliant at thinning the week out of the herd. Good luck and congrats on the other 5.
Hilltop Farm thank you sir. That's the response I expected, but not what I wanted to hear. I'll try to help peel a little shell back, but not much. You have been very kind through this whole process and it's because of you I have had 5 make it with this being my first time. I'm going to sub and once again appreciate everything!
@@hurt1704 LOL. That's exactly what I would have done. My only advice is to keep the water spray bottle handy and keep that membrane wet. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
I was wondering. Could there be any advantages or disadvantages to turning them more often than 3 times a day while they hatch. Is that how the duck does it? Do you have any experiences or thoughts on this?
Thanks for the info :) i was just curious Im hatching eggs for the first time in my life. 8 silver appleyard eggs which are set to hatch next week. Im pretty excited to see how it goes.. Your videos helped me a lot! I've watched them several times to make sure i got all the details right. Thanks again for making them :)
7 hatched silver appleyards! They one that didnt make it was the smallest one. It made noices on day 25 when turned last but never made a pip. So 7 out of 8. Im pretty happy with my first time results :)
Hello sir. Just an update. It will be day25 in a few hours and I have lots of movement in all and one egg pipping. I'm going to remove the egg turner shortly and up the humidity to 65. Will a heat lamp do good for when they come?
Wonderful! If you have one pipping I wouldn't wait a few hours. Get them our of the turner now and make sure you mist them every time you open the incubator to stop the one that's pipping from drying out. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm I definitely will! I just checked again and 4 out of 6 are now pipped. Removing the turner and misting! Will an heat lamp do ok for when they hatch? Also just watched your 3rd video and you say 75% so I'll up it to 75 instead of 65
It's a Janoel 8-48. I get mine on eBay. Make sure it's a Janoel. Someone has copied them and they look almost the same but the Janoel name is missing on the front. Don't get the copy. I did once by mistake and it's hopeless. It doesn't maintain it's temperature.
I found an egg 🥚 at the side of the canal near where I live, and I took it home and I have no idea on what to do w it and I try to warm it up but it’s still cold and I don’t have and incubator or wtevr it’s called. HELP!!! It’s a duck
Look up how to make a homemade incubator. But there is no telling how old it is or if its even fertile but i would build an incubator and wait 7 days then candle the egg. (put a flashlight up to the rounded of the egg) and see if you see any growth.
If you just found it by a canal I would be very surprised if it was fertile. You have a kind heart but I would throw it away before it becomes rotten and forget about it.
Hi Faisal. Firstly it takes 28 days for duck eggs to hatch so you need to keep it at the correct temperature for almost a month. Secondly, ducks that are reared without a mother rarely do well on their own. Two or more will always do better. That being said you will need either an incubator or a broody duck or chicken to put the egg under.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead i saw some vids of a home made incubator i made that with a lamp above it and i turn the egg around 2 times a day and sprinkle it with water every day and i put hay under it
I gotta say, I'm a little worried. I just misted them, let them set out for 10 minutes or so and candled them. All are veiny, dark like it's developing, but I only saw 1 move whereas a few nights ago I saw 4 or so move. Do you think I lost them? I sure hope not
LOL. Worried Dad I think. LOL. No don't panic. If the veins are still clearly visible then they are fine. They're teeny tiny babies and they get tired very quickly. They are probably just asleep, that's all. Have a stiff drink, take a deep breath and get some sleep. All will be well!
I just started incubating my eggs and put them in the pine bedding. I made the mistake of leaving a little water in the very bottom of the tray. When I tilted the incubator by propping a 2x4 underneath of one side, ( I had seen this done on another persons video as a way to tilt the eggs if you don't use an egg turner) I realized this morning that some of the eggs were discolored from actually setting in water over night. Do you think I ruined the ones that were setting in water or do you think they may be still alright? I will candle them in a few days to hopefully know for sure but I wondered if you could give me your thoughts. Has that ruined the bloom? Thank you in advance as I don't know how to reply to your response on the thread.
@@gemenchehn9686 I can't I'm sorry. Not aloud to send eggs out of the country. Besides, it would take too long to arrive. By the time they get to you they wouldn't be viable. You need to try and find them in Malaysia.
That's no good. However without knowing exactly what you have done for the last 29 days, or what breed of duck you have, or where the eggs have come from, or the health and age of the parents it's really impossible for me to offer a reason as to why! People assume that every fertile egg, given the right conditions will hatch. This simply is not true. In my opinion and experience this method gives duck eggs the best chance but there are so many other factors that need to be considered! Good luck in the future.
I just wanted to say that I watched this video 3 years ago, before I got my first ever duck eggs to hatch, (it was going to be my first time hatching anything, ever.) and this method just clicked with me. The other methods seemed disconnected and just very hands off to me. But when I watched this video I knew this was the method I wanted to try. This method, over three years of my using it, has given me a 89.47% hatch rate. I will never ever use any other method.
By the time the chicks hatch, they are bonded to my voice since I get to talk to them when turning every day.
I get to candle them daily and see them grow.
I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for introducing this method to me. I will never use any other method :)
Thank you for your lovely comment. It works every time for me.
Hey man thanks for the help! It really helped me. Now I got ducks 😄
Yay!!!!! Congratulations!
So helpful and useful information , I'm due to go collect 8 magpie duck eggs and 7 Cayuga duck eggs tomorrow , I'm hoping I get A good success rate for hatching with the information from your videos , first time I will be attempting to hatch eggs 🙂
Good luck.
Update: I misted the hell out of the breached egg a few times and the duckling slipped out of the shell. He is moving, but I guess we will see if he makes it. Going to leave him in the incubator for a bit
HURT 1 DID HE MAKE IT!!!
My duck eggs aren’t hatching and I did everything my incubator told me to and online but it still didn’t work until I did what you said and it worked thank you so much for this info
That's brilliant. Some people think I'm nuts but it works!
Hilltop Farm Homestead yeah it worked very well almost all of the 6 hatched only 2 didn’t
Thank you sooo much!! Im taking care of three duck eggs! and they turned out great!!
Congratulations! Today is day 10 and they duck egg I found is alive🤗
Thank you so much for this video. Have been having the same problem even with a humidity guage. I'm going to try again on duck eggs with your tips!
I might try sponges as a base instead. I'm not sure yet
I found your videos very informative, and interesting. I've hatched duck eggs before...but I love this idea of using the wood chips to make it feel more like a nest. The only problem is, my incubator isn't as deep as yours..so using a container is out of the questions. Would I be able to put the wood chips directly on the wire that sits over the water (Where the eggs sit) ??
That would probably end up messy. What about a lid. That container I used came with a lid or just find the lid of something else that fits. Anything flat that fits and if it has sides, even an inch would do, it will work. There are 3 main points to remember. Firstly the wood shavings hold moisture, with moisture being the key to the whole thing. Secondly it gives the ducklings an absorbent, more natural, surface to hatch onto. Thirdly you must make sure no matter what you do, that adding the wood shavings doesn't create a fire hazard. Good luck.
Keep up the good work all that you're doing. Make more videos in depth because it seems like you're very knowledgeable I'm going to try the same thing and I agree we need to think more like mama duck and how she does things. So if the fact if you've done it more than twice and get the same result then I think your on the right path of something
I have my inkubator in the kitchen table,so i can always keep an eye in it😂🤗
I'm 14 and trying to hatch ducks, what month should I start to collect them and incubate them? Also my parent's aren't a big fan of the idea of them staying in my room because of the smell do u have any tips for the smell? Thank u
Hi Andrew. The best time of year to gather eggs for incubating is generally spring. You can get viable eggs all year round but spring through to early summer is usually the best. As for having them in your room. I wouldn't like to undermine your parents as it's their house so their rules. However I will say that incubating eggs shouldn't smell and if it does there's a problem. If, as I suspect, they are taking about the ducklings, well that's a different thing. Cleaning them out twice a day, and letting them bath in a sink of clean water every day will help, but at the end of the day duckling are smelly. Good luck.
You have such healthy fingernails! Thanks for the video!
Thank you Heather.
Thank you so much.....Im new to this and it really is helping me get ready for my mandarin duck eggs......
I learnt so much from you
Can I gently wash duck eggs with warm water before placing them in the incubator?
I recommend that you don't if you can help it. When an egg is laid it's coated in what's called a "bloom". It is a clear coating that protects the egg and stops bacteria from getting into the egg. If you wash it off there is a much greater risk of the embryos dying partway through development.
Do the eggs have to be one their side? As apposed to chicken eggs which are vertical
Hi Jessica. All eggs should be incubated on their sides. Eggs are stored upright and if incubated in an automatic egg turner they tend to be upright but manual turning incubators have the eggs on their sides as does the mother bird if she incubates then.
Thank you 😁 very interesting.greeting from Germany
I have a question for you. I put my duck eggs in a dish with shavings today after wks , will it hurt the eggs. I also have two sets of eggs incubating. Mini call ducks are incubating and harliquin ducks mix with an other breed are also incubating. Will they be okay to hatch at different times. The larger eggs should hatch in a couple weeks. The call ducks will hatch in four wks if all goes well. How often do I turn them
I don't understand the first part of the question, sorry. Having different hatch times is fine as long as you keep track of your days. Day 25 they must go into lock down so while the first lot are in lock down and hatching I would only turn the other eggs once a day until the first lot are finished and keep up the humidity. Also minimise the time you have the incubator open when do it. After the first lot are done with go back to the normal 8 hour turning until the second lot reach day 25, then lock them down.
what I was saying was I had the eggs on the floor of the incubator, then I switched to the shavings in a glass dish and put that back in the incubator, and the other eggs are surrounding the dish on the sides because their isn't enough room for all the eggs. So the call duck eggs are on the floor of the incubator while the bigger eggs are in the dish with the shavings. Hope that is okay
@@holleenphaneuf6163 I'm sure it will be fine. Good luck.
get to it
am in Kenya Nairobi what's the best setting for humidity and temperature in 4214 egg capacity
Can you or should you use the automatic egg turner. Or take it out and manually do the turning
It's very much a personal choice. Here at Hilltop Farm we use the auto turner for chicken eggs and have a good success rate. With our ducks and quail however we have found our hatch rate to be very poor when we use the turner. This series will show you what we have discovered works best for our farm. I suggest that, if like me you are having trouble with your duck hatch rates, give this method a go. Hatching quail is different again but we still don't use the turner. Hope this answer helps. Good luck.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead We started the 2nd batch 2 days ago on the egg turner. What I am afraid of is we cant be around during the day to do 3 times per day. Can 2x morning and night work for manual turning. Can we take it out of the turner still and set up like u. Or should we see what happens and next time use manual turning 2x per day
Do you or when do you stop turning the eggs for a lockdown do you raise the humidity level towards the end of the hatch like you do on chickens or does it stay the same
Welcome Bailey Farm. You'll have to watch all four parts in the series to find out the answers to your questions. :)
Im cooling them off at 3 days old is that bad
Please help! There were a few ducks in my front lawn and when they left, I discovered a duck egg with a Few tiny cracks and an indent. But it is pretty Secure. I’m not sure what to do!?
I'm sorry to tell you but if there are cracks in the shell it wont hatch no matter how secure it would seem. Bless you for caring though.
I’ve seen people cover a crack with candle wax or shelling it with another egg shell. Would that work?
@@mehrdad8551 Unfortunately there are a lot to great theories which may work if the egg only has a day or two before hatching but even then I've yet to find anything that works. Save yourself a lot of heartache and don't even try. Mother nature makes the egg a perfect safe haven for a baby bird to develop and she will pull the plug if that safe haven is compromised.
I'm incubating 9 duck eggs and 1 had a crack and 1 just some scraches from the mother her nails and they started developing but they died after some days so i'm sorry but you should trow it away (sorry for my bad english i'm from belgium)
@@jonasvandeputte4756 It's good advice Jonas. It's the best thing to do.
Do you spray with cold or warm water pls?
As close to body temperature as you can.
I'm doing my first duck eggs. I have call ducks, runner and cayuga eggs. I have humidity at 45 % since Day 01, it's Day 08, do you think I should increase the humidity to 50%? or Higher 55-60%?
Hi Jasmine, If your on day 8 and you've been at 45% the whole time I'd up it to 60-65 until lock down they 70+ after that. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm Homestead thank you for your prompt response! I am going to increase the humidity and I will post back with an update. I have never incubated before so this is quite the exciting.
Well when they start pipping don't panic. Sometimes duck eggs can pip 48 hours before they hatch and nothing happens the whole time. Just be patient and then suddenly they start making their way out. Very Exciting.
I purchased a second incubator. Lockdown starts tomorrow (March 11) I have purchased a bin that fits inside the incubator. I will place some slip proof rubber drawer liner for grip. I have been misting them and hope they don't shrink wrap everytime I open the incubator..there are some that have huge air cells. The reason for the second incubator is because I've started to incubate other eggs and they still need to be turned. I am not sure if I will be able to sleep this week (they are in my bedroom closet). I promise to give them time to 'ripen' and not assist for the duration of their pipping. I hope it goes well for them.
for bedding you said wood chips or straw is ok to use? what about a combination of both. And, is there any risk of them eating this once they hatch while I wait for them to all be done hatching. I appreciate your advice :)
Would like to try that. I got the pair of mallard since they were ducklings. After 5 months, We finally had our first duck egg from them. Tho it is small. Would these first small eggs hatch to a duckling? Would it be worth to try to incubate them? Or should we just eat first eggs? And Do duck egg size matter if they will develop to ducklings or not? At what point can we decide to incubate their eggs?
They might hatch but my guess is that they would probably be infertile. It's not the size of the egg that matters. It's more that ducks so young may not be mating successfully yet. I normally wait until the parents are at least 7 months old but you can try before that if you like.
Thank you
Please make more videos.
Thank you .
Renette
I love ducks
Sorry this question might be a bit long, when you said “when they are out of the incubator during the day” I didn’t quite understand. When do you take them out of the incubator ? I might be getting fertile eggs so if I do, the minute I get them what do I do ? Do I put them straight into the incubator?
Hi Ella. I'm not sure when i made that comment. Can you leave the time on the video that I said it? As for what to do once you get the eggs. Prepare the container with damp wood shavings or straw. Place your eggs in the wood shavings and keep them in a cool but not cold dark spot for 24 hours to settle. Turn them carefully morning and night but other than that leave them. After 24 hours place the container in the incubator and turn it on.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead at 12:20
@@AmandaSEquineLife I'm referring to the period of time that I'm collecting eggs before the incubator gets turned on. How I store then before I start incubating.
How long do you keep them in the incubator and take them out?
Hi Brandon. Thanks for your question but could you please give me more detail. I'm not sure what you mean?
I was at a farm and saw a bunch of ducks mistreating an egg. My brother and I decided to take the egg in for better care. I need your help I don’t have the money for an incubator and I just “rescued” the egg today. For the time being (which has been about an two hours) I’ve kept them in an blanket and I’m not even sure if it’s fertilized or not. How do I make sure this duckegg is fertilized and if it is how do I take care of it and successfully hatch it?
Unfortunately without an incubator or a broody duck or hen you can't. It's a nice idea that you and your brother had but the best thing you can do is just to get rid of the egg. Sorry.
Khaki Campbell hatch her egg her self or not plz answer plz
It depends on the individual duck. Some will hatch their own eggs but most don't.
Please help we were taking care of a duck but it got eaten by a bobcat and it left 16 eggs and i have no idea what to do to hatch them
Watch these videos. Everything you need to know is in here. Good luck.
Hilltop Farm thank you I’ll put updates :)
Ok I found out some more info. Apparently the chick is in there backwards I think because I noticed it pipping from the front small side of the egg and then at the back. Apparently its tail is hanging out the back? I have been working all weekend but had my mom go check on him. What do I do in this instance if he is in the egg backwards?
Yes we've had quite a few "breach" hatching's ourselves but unfortunately they never make it either. I know you'll try, as I did, so good luck. To answer your question I live in South Australia but I was born in England.
Hilltop Farm that's a Shame. Well I guess I'll give him a chance and just wait it out. It's a shame because he has such a strong chirp. I thought you were English. I'm in the states in Missouri. Anyways thanks again and I apologize for blowing up your comments
Do you have any cheaper duck incubators that will work?
I got mine new on Ebay. It was around $120 which is cheap for an incubator.
Hilltop Farm what was it call?
@@bananapeel2839 I just bought this one for $40. I haven't used it yet but it gets really good reviews on Rural Kings website .
"Farm Innovators Still Air Incubator 2100"
I have a couple questions to you I need an answer to asap if you don't mind. I bought a pair of ducks probably 2 years ago and recently found some eggs which I believe to have been outside for 10 days or so. I purchased an incubator and put them in. They are now on day 10 and I see movement in the eggs. My questions to you are, how crucial is it to take the eggs out once a day on day 10 and start spraying them and letting them cool? Will any hatch if I don't? Also, since I don't have an exact time frame of how long they were layed before i put them in an incubator, do I still remove the egg turner 3 days prior to day 28 even without knowing how long they were outside? Another question is, I believe I have a chicken egg incubator because they days only go to 21. Can I just restart the machine after it runs out of time and do a manual countdown to remove the egg turner 3 days before day 28 hatch day? Thank you so much.
I would start spraying them once or twice a day. Make sure you don't get any of the incubator workings wet. Make sure the temperature is set to 37.5 C or 99.5 F but the humidity is crucial. When the incubator gets to day 21 it should just reset to 0 or 1. It shouldn't turn off. Either way, on day 25 remove the egg turner, raise the humidity right up and leave the eggs alone. I still lift the lid a little each day to spray them but I don't handle them. If they are Muscovy eggs lock down is day 32 and they will hatch day 35ish. I think that answers everything. Any more questions just ask. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm thank you sir for the fast response. I honestly wasn't expecting any of them to actually make it so it took me by suprise a little when I candled them this afternoon. One more question, another video I watched the guy would take them out of the incubator and spray them once a day, then use a infrared thermometer after letting them sit and once they reached 87 , put them back in. would you just recommend me spraying them and putting them back in right after a quick spray or leaving them
Out and letting them cool to 87 and then putting them back in? Also should I remove the eggs to spray them or just spray them while inside the incubator? Thank you so much for the help
@@hurt1704 I must confess that I have no idea what temperature you should let them cool to but I do think 5 minutes or so, depending on room temperature, out of the incubator every day is beneficial. You would be surprised how tough they are. I once accidentally turned off the incubator when I went to bed and didn't notice until lunchtime the next day. They were on about day 18 so I turned it back on and 6 of the 10 eggs survived and hatched. My point is don't worry about having them out too long.
Hilltop Farm ohh wow! That's crazy but I guess I can see why since they hatch in the wild without this much care. One last question and I'm done haha. You mentioned humidity is crucial, what humidity level is it best to keep them at while in the incubator? I have mine set at 55. My incubator says 52 preferred, but 50 to 55 is ok. What would you suggest?
You have to think like a duck, act like a duck you have to BECOME A DUCK!!!
CRY QUACK QUACK AND LET SLIP THE DUCKS OF WAR!!!!
But seriously, you have a point but from what i've learned myself and hard way, temparature should be like 37,7-37,8 (or it's just my incubator)
Nonetgheless, good job and keep breeding!
I think you'll find there will be a variation between incubators. Unless you spend a fortune on the "Rolls Royce" of incubators, I think you'll find that they are not that accurate. I have 4 incubators and they're all slightly different and all cheap ones.
Would you recommend washing the eggs first, they are pretty clean already.
Hi Cheryl. No never wash your eggs. They have a natural substance called a "bloom" that coats the egg sealing the pores and prevents bacteria from getting in. If you wash them you will remove the bloom and you will loose the ducklings in the egg.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead
I thought so but was concerned with all the moisture of the bedding that the little bit of duck feces on the eggs would get in. Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly!! (: We have had such a hard time with the ducklings getting stuck in the eggs and are so excited about your method. It makes so much sense. Thank you again for freely sharing your knowledge! (:
@@cherylcherchio8793 Well good luck and let me know how you get on. And don't worry about all the moisture and muck around the eggs. Think about Mother duck. She's wet and filthy most of the time. Nature allows for that.
Do ducks turn the eggs aswell?
Yes they do. All birds turn their eggs.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead wow how?? X
@@indigotwin6309 with their beaks or bills.
Serious question. 5 out of 6 hatched successfully with one struggling bad. Its been trying to hatch last night and today and still isn't out. It is broke through the shell some and can't seem to get out. What do I do? I'm afraid to help him because I know you aren't suppose to but I also don't want to not help and him die due to dehydration in an incubator with an open shell. Help please
I know how you feel. I've been there more times than I care to remember but bottom line is, if you help him, he'll probably die any way. I have helped 10 to 20 over the years and none have made it. Even when I thought they have, fail to thrive and die when they are a week old or something like that. My advise to you is help only if you must but I would be surprised if it helps in the long run. Mother nature seems harsh sometimes but she is brilliant at thinning the week out of the herd. Good luck and congrats on the other 5.
Hilltop Farm thank you sir. That's the response I expected, but not what I wanted to hear. I'll try to help peel a little shell back, but not much. You have been very kind through this whole process and it's because of you I have had 5 make it with this being my first time. I'm going to sub and once again appreciate everything!
@@hurt1704 LOL. That's exactly what I would have done. My only advice is to keep the water spray bottle handy and keep that membrane wet. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Hilltop Farm I definitely will. Btw are you an English fellow? You kinda sound like it lol
I was wondering. Could there be any advantages or disadvantages to turning them more often than 3 times a day while they hatch. Is that how the duck does it? Do you have any experiences or thoughts on this?
Well I've had 100% hatch rate turning 3 times a day so I don't see the need to do it more often than that.
Thanks for the info :) i was just curious
Im hatching eggs for the first time in my life. 8 silver appleyard eggs which are set to hatch next week. Im pretty excited to see how it goes..
Your videos helped me a lot! I've watched them several times to make sure i got all the details right. Thanks again for making them :)
Your welcome. Good luck and let me know how you get on. Appleyards are on of my favorites.
7 hatched silver appleyards! They one that didnt make it was the smallest one. It made noices on day 25 when turned last but never made a pip.
So 7 out of 8. Im pretty happy with my first time results :)
So happy for you. Everyone who tries this method seems to get results. Well done.
Hello sir. Just an update. It will be day25 in a few hours and I have lots of movement in all and one egg pipping. I'm going to remove the egg turner shortly and up the humidity to 65. Will a heat lamp do good for when they come?
Wonderful! If you have one pipping I wouldn't wait a few hours. Get them our of the turner now and make sure you mist them every time you open the incubator to stop the one that's pipping from drying out. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Hilltop Farm I definitely will! I just checked again and 4 out of 6 are now pipped. Removing the turner and misting! Will an heat lamp do ok for when they hatch? Also just watched your 3rd video and you say 75% so I'll up it to 75 instead of 65
Spraying of water from what day onwards....
I do it from day 1.
I found some ducks at the park and some kids broke three eggs now there’s only three so I’m taking them with me
What kind of incubator do you have.
It's a Janoel 8-48. I get mine on eBay. Make sure it's a Janoel. Someone has copied them and they look almost the same but the Janoel name is missing on the front. Don't get the copy. I did once by mistake and it's hopeless. It doesn't maintain it's temperature.
I found an egg 🥚 at the side of the canal near where I live, and I took it home and I have no idea on what to do w it and I try to warm it up but it’s still cold and I don’t have and incubator or wtevr it’s called. HELP!!! It’s a duck
Look up how to make a homemade incubator. But there is no telling how old it is or if its even fertile but i would build an incubator and wait 7 days then candle the egg. (put a flashlight up to the rounded of the egg) and see if you see any growth.
If you just found it by a canal I would be very surprised if it was fertile. You have a kind heart but I would throw it away before it becomes rotten and forget about it.
What did you do with it in the end?
I have a duck egg thats 4 days old but i dont have a incubator so how can i help it to hatch in 20 days
Hi Faisal. Firstly it takes 28 days for duck eggs to hatch so you need to keep it at the correct temperature for almost a month. Secondly, ducks that are reared without a mother rarely do well on their own. Two or more will always do better. That being said you will need either an incubator or a broody duck or chicken to put the egg under.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead i have non of those things
@@FaisalFatrosh Sadly my friend, there's nothing you can do.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead i saw some vids of a home made incubator i made that with a lamp above it and i turn the egg around 2 times a day and sprinkle it with water every day and i put hay under it
What breed(s) of ducks do you have?
Indian Runners
Sir what is humidity
Humidity is how much moisture (water) is in the air.
Sir how much parcent humidity in incubator for duck egg?
@@rafiya_ghazala_art5225 If you watch the whole series of 4 videos it is all explained to you.
I gotta say, I'm a little worried. I just misted them, let them set out for 10 minutes or so and candled them. All are veiny, dark like it's developing, but I only saw 1 move whereas a few nights ago I saw 4 or so move. Do you think I lost them? I sure hope not
LOL. Worried Dad I think. LOL. No don't panic. If the veins are still clearly visible then they are fine. They're teeny tiny babies and they get tired very quickly. They are probably just asleep, that's all. Have a stiff drink, take a deep breath and get some sleep. All will be well!
Hilltop Farm haha thanks man! Appreciate the information as always! I'll keep you updated once it's gets closer
Very informative video! ❤ thank you
You're very welcome.
Hi. How many times I have to turn eggs in 24 hours?
Every 8 hours is best.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead ok thanks
@@HilltopFarmHomestead if turn 2 times in 24 hour is it ok or have to turn 3 times?
@@ahtram125 As long as the turns were 12 hours apart it would probably be alright.
Hello sir Mai I know what should be temperature and humidity after 27 day in incubator for duck eggs?
why the Kabuki music in the background?
Why not!
I just started incubating my eggs and put them in the pine bedding. I made the mistake of leaving a little water in the very bottom of the tray. When I tilted the incubator by propping a 2x4 underneath of one side, ( I had seen this done on another persons video as a way to tilt the eggs if you don't use an egg turner) I realized this morning that some of the eggs were discolored from actually setting in water over night. Do you think I ruined the ones that were setting in water or do you think they may be still alright? I will candle them in a few days to hopefully know for sure but I wondered if you could give me your thoughts. Has that ruined the bloom? Thank you in advance as I don't know how to reply to your response on the thread.
It may have damaged the bloom. Only time will tell. Good luck.
Hello sir can I get duck eggs for my incubator please.
Depends where you are.
I from Malaysia
@@gemenchehn9686 I can't I'm sorry. Not aloud to send eggs out of the country. Besides, it would take too long to arrive. By the time they get to you they wouldn't be viable. You need to try and find them in Malaysia.
Only 4,5 duck eggs so so difficult to you... How world to develop your thing like that. Sorry to say
Where do you live
Just South of Adelaide, South Australia.
Corona virus is there or not
@@purnimaphukan547 Not on our farm or in our town but Adelaide has cases and we are in lock down. Why do you ask?
Today is day 29 and no sign of activity in the incubator at all!
That's no good. However without knowing exactly what you have done for the last 29 days, or what breed of duck you have, or where the eggs have come from, or the health and age of the parents it's really impossible for me to offer a reason as to why! People assume that every fertile egg, given the right conditions will hatch. This simply is not true. In my opinion and experience this method gives duck eggs the best chance but there are so many other factors that need to be considered! Good luck in the future.
I DO NOT LIKE THE BEEPING BOX AAAAAAAH!
I bet you say that to all the girls! LOL.
Hilltop Farm IM A BOY OR MALE
Do i need to spray water from day one
Usually I start around the 3rd day. If you dampen down the wood shavings before you start they will stay quite damp for the first day or two.
@@HilltopFarmHomestead thank you