I have 3 questions about hatching duck eggs?
1. During incubation is it really that important to have the small end of the egg facing down? (I am using an automatic egg turner)
2. I did not know this at the beginning so I was not keeping track of which way the egg was facing. Can this cause the developing duckling to die?
3. All of my duck eggs at day seven looked really good! When I candled them they all had really dominant looking blood veins, but now when I candled them at day 9 I can’t see the veins as good in one of them. Is this bad?
i know when we hatched some only one came out, i wouldnt be too dissapointed when or if they all dont hatch.
I didn’t use an automatic egg turner with mine, so mine layed on their sides. I turned them myself several times a day, so unless the egg just fits best into the turner that way…I don’t think it matters that much.
The one with fewer veins may not be viable, but don’t pitch it just yet. Keep watching. Soon you’ll be able to candle them and see movement inside. I can’t remember how long it was before I decided to toss one of mine, but there was a definite live chick in the others…and not in that one when I did it.
Make sure there’s enough moisture in the incubator. You didn’t ask about that, but I thought I’d suggest it because if there isn’t, they’ll have a hard time breaking through the shell. Don’t be terribly disappointed if they don’t all make it. It’s very normal to lose some.
1. Yes, it’s really that important, otherwise you could have hatch problems, like upside down in the egg….usually lethal.
2. Prolly not.
3. It could be and then again they go through stages where the blood vessels are not as prominent. It might be going into one of those stages.
As for the egg turner, if it rolls the egg side to side and flat, that is good enough because the small end of the egg points somewhat down in that situation. Turners that rock the egg of course you would put the small end down.
it makes no difference which end is up because your turning them a few times a day. Not turning them properly can result in death and deformities.