# Misting duck eggs during incubation



## Gilwlsn (Oct 11, 2012)

Wanting to incubate some ducks. I seen the subject of misting the eggs and turning incubator off twice a day for 20 minutes. Are either necessary?

Thanks


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd use a tray of water with a sponge or cloth in it to maintain a constant humidity level, and avoid ANY temperature changes


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I'd use a tray of water with a sponge or cloth in it to maintain a constant humidity level, and avoid ANY temperature changes


This. I think the advice you got was trying to replicate how a mama duck broods naturally but the whole point of artificial incubation is that the artificial environment has to be 100% stable and 100% sterile to hatch eggs almost as well as a mother bird does in a filthy nest. :bash:


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

When my son was about 12 he was incubating lots of duck and goose eggs wit almost 100 % success.

Was kind of funny to have the local Mennonite men quiz my 12 year old about his technique.

We believe the thing that made the biggest difference was his misting the eggs.

Essentially he use the wet sponge to add humidity, but when it came to the last week of incubation, he would mist twice a day when he turned the eggs ~~~ warm water.

The last three days before hatch he would stop turning the eggs ----- but he would increase his misting to 3 or 4 times a day ~~~~~
always misting with 
Warm Water.


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## sunflower-n-ks (Aug 7, 2006)

When I started incubating duck eggs, I was using a still air, styro that didn't have a turner in it. I opened it to turn them several times a day and misted them with room temp water each time. I had a very good hatch with muscovy eggs, muscovy cross, and goose eggs. The scovy cross eggs are said to be very hard to incubate, but I had not heard that then. They just kept hatching. Dumb beginners luck.

Since, I have heard that letting goose eggs cool some each day will slow down the development of the gosling and that is good so they don't get too large for the egg. I had a muscovy duck get shut away from her nest over night and into the next day. Healthy ducklings followed her out of hiding a week or so later. Didn't seem to hurt them any.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I've hatched out duck eggs a few times. I have a styrofoam still air incubator without a turner. I take the top off once a day, let the eggs cool for about 20 minutes, turn them & then mist them with room temperature water before putting the top back on. I do also keep wet sponges in the bottom tray of the incubator. I've had pretty good success rate hatching out our eggs.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

"Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks" recommends cooling for about 10 mins a day. I'd get a copy of that book, its really complete and informative.


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

Everyone has their own opinions. Personally, I've had my best luck with duck eggs when I stopped dicking with them constantly like everyone recommends. 100% hatch rates when I incubated them like I do quail or chicken eggs, no misting.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I've always had my best hatches when I didn't care and the worst luck when I had eggs I really really cared about. That's when the thermostat fails (twice now on different incubators)! Otherwise, I have to watch humidity (its really dry here) and make sure they are turned and I might or might not otherwise remember to cool them a bit - though I do like candling them and that gives them a bit of a cool down. Of course I've pretty well given up on good hatch rates for the special eggs, but the barnyard mixes hatch great and the incubator never fails for them. :\


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