Farming Friends

July 2nd 2008

Duck Eggs Hatching Early And Late

Eggs will often hatch early or late when placed in an incubator and there are a number of reasons for this.

Hi i have had 6 indian runner duck eggs in an incubator for 28.5 days now. One hatched two days early and is really healthy, eats and drinks. One we relised was off as the smell was bad. The other four are still in the incubator and now nearly 3 days late. Im really confused because one was two days early and the others haven’t hatched after 2days of the hatch date.
I have another 8 eggs in the incubator from a different set so i will be able to see if i have done something wrong, or if it was the eggs themselves.
But i was wondering what you think of the situation?

Thanks dan.

Hi Dan,
I am glad to hear that your duckling is healthy and doing well.
There are a number of reasons why eggs can hatch early and late.
Small eggs.
Improper egg storage.
Temperature too high in the incubator.
Humidity too low in the incubator.
Here are some handy tips to help prevent eggs hatching early;

Choose incubation eggs carefully.
Avoid incubating eggs that are too small.
If keeping eggs prior to incubation then store in the correct conditions (pay particular attention to temperature and humidity conditions).
Do not store eggs for more than 7 days before incubation.
If storing eggs before incubation, then turn the eggs regularly. http://www.farmingfriends.com/choosing-and-storing-eggs-before-incubation/
Regularly check the temperature in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/a-temperature-guide-for-different-species-of-birds-eggs-in-the-incubator/
Try to maintain the correct temperature in the incubator at all times.
Check the temperature in the incubator room is not too high.
Regularly check the humidity in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/humidity-levels-for-egg-incubation/
Try to maintain the correct humidity levels in the incubator at all time.
Note that the required temperature and humidity levels are not the same throughout the whole of the incubation period.
A wet bulb thermometer maybe a good purchase to help accurately measure the humidity and temperature levels in the incubator. http://www.farmingfriends.com/a-wet-bulb-thermometer/
Check that the incubator is working correctly and has a constant temperature throughout the whole of the incubator.
Reasons for a late hatch include:Large Eggs.
Old Eggs.
Improperly stored eggs.
Temperature too low in the incubator.
Humidity in the incubator too high.
Warm and cool areas in the incubator.
Here are some handy tips to help prevent eggs hatching late;

Choose incubation eggs carefully.
Avoid incubating eggs that are too large.
If keeping eggs prior to incubation then store in the correct conditions.
Do not store eggs for more than 7 days before incubation.
Regularly check the temperature in the incubator.
Try to maintain the correct temperature in the incubator at all times.
Regularly check the humidity in the incubator.
Try to maintain the correct humidity levels in the incubator at all time.
Note that the required temperature and humidity levels are not the same throughout the whole of the incubation period.
A wet bulb thermometer maybe a good purchase to help accurately measure the humidity and temperature levels in the incubator.
Check that the incubator is working correctly and has a constant temperature throughout the whole of the incubator.
I hope this information is useful.
Let me know how the other 8 eggs get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

If you know of any reasons why duck eggs hatch early and let then please leave a comment.

9 Comments »

Hi Sara.
Talking about eggs…
Do you have a good recipe for pickled eggs?

Comment by Diane — July 2, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
Hi

I am inclubating 6 Khaki Campbell duck eggs, due to hatch tomorrow but so far I have not heard any peeping from any of the eggs is that normal? Am I just being impatient . .

Thanks

Comment by Lorraine — August 7, 2008 @ 9:13 am
Hi lorraine,
Thanks for commenting. Yes it is normal to not hear cheeping until the eggs start to pip. You need to be watching out for the eggs pipping and you are right to be listening out for little cheeps too. It is good that they have not hatched early so tomorrow you want to see the eggs starting to pip.I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Let me know how the eggs get on. I have 7 khaki campbell ducks and they are a real delight. It is amazing how quickly they grow and how they can swim from day 1!. Check out this post of my ducks now http://www.farmingfriends.com/khaki-campbell-ducks/ and check out the day old ducklings having a swim in a bucket http://www.farmingfriends.com/day-old-ducklings-enjoying-a-swim/.
My husbands uncle breeds ducks on a large scale and he says that if any of the ducklings are not looking very well or lively then putting them in a bucket of water and letting them have a swim can often revive them. Amazing!
Let me know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 7, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
hi, can anyone help me? i have now incubated 3 lots of eggs in a small octogon 10 incubator, of the eggs that have hatched all the eggs have been drakes. does anyone know why this has happened or is it just luck? many thanks, sue

Comment by Sue — August 20, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Hi Sue,
Thanks for visiting farmingfriends and leaving this very interesting question.
My initial thought is that it is just down to luck but I am sure that there will be some genetic reason why you are getting more drakes from your eggs than ducks if the eggs are indeed from your flock.
Are you having to wait for the ducklings to grow before you realise that they are drakes? What type of ducks are they?
I will do some research into this and see if I can find anything about this very interesting subject.
I am sorry that I don’t have a firm answer for you.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 20, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
Hi i have one duck egg that is due to hatch today. Its in a dome incubator. It has been turned and sprayed too, As i read tht ducks need that little more humidity. I remember hatching ducks when we were young and have use the same techniques. I was asked to look after this for someone that has gone on their hols. I thought this will be great experience for my daughter. There is still life as the egg has been rocking for two days. Which was quite exciting! Im concerned a it has not pipped yet. Is this because im being inpatient. I know you must not help them at all. (and wont) but is this normal or do you think the bird is struggling. When candled i could not see any beak popping through into the airsack. Im hoping its not sticky or dry. Please help!

Comment by Tracey — August 21, 2008 @ 3:00 am
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for visiting farmingfriends and commenting.
It is quite normal for the egg not to have started to pip yet as the hatching process can take a few days. You need to be watching out for the eggs pipping and listening out for little cheeps too as this is a sign that the egg is pipping and the duckling is hatching. It is good that the egg has not hatched early.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

I never help the chicks/ducklings out of their shell if they have not pipped but if a chick has pipped the egg shell and has not progressed any further after a number of hours then I will help the chick/duckling out.

If you do need to help the duckling out then you have to work fast and you also have to be careful that they don’t bleed which is not easy when you are trying to keep them warm as well. I know that when I help the ducklings hatch it is best to try to remove as much of the inner membrane as possible so that when the egg & duckling are placed back in the incubator the membrane does not dry onto the duckling making it even more difficult for the duckling to hatch. I have also found that the best thing is to try to remove as much of the egg shell except around the bottom and then remove as much of the membrane until there is just a cup shaped shell left where the duckling will still be attached. I try to make sure that the head and legs are out of the shell making it easier for the duckling to get out of the remaining egg when it is placed back in the incubator.
I too have read that you should not help a chick or duckling but if I had not helped my ducklings then out of the 7 that hatched only one would be dashing around my garden and dabbling in the water.

Good luck with your egg. Let me know how the egg gets on.

I have 7 khaki campbell ducks and they are a real delight. It is amazing how quickly they grow and how they can swim from
day 1!. Check out this post of my ducks now
http://www.farmingfriends.com/khaki-campbell-ducks/ and check out the day old ducklings having a swim in a bucket http://www.farmingfriends.com/day-old-ducklings-enjoying-a-swim/.
My husbands uncle breeds ducks on a large scale and he says that if any of the ducklings are not looking very well or lively then putting them
in a bucket of water and letting them have a swim can often revive them.
Amazing!
Let me know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 21, 2008 @ 8:31 pm
do you guys have any duckling eggs thata are not hatched? i have school project to raise eggs from eggs till there adults!

Comment by Dj — August 25, 2008 @ 12:26 am
Hi DJ,
I am sorry to say that I don’t yet have any duck eggs as my ducks are only about 14 weeks old and they don’t start laying until 20 weeks old so they may not lay not until next spring.
You don’t say where you are from. If you are from the UK then ebay is a good place to buy duck eggs for hatching. If you are in the US then the McMurray Hatchery http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/category/hatching_eggs.html may have some.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — August 25, 2008 @ 3:59 pm