Incubation

In the old days, to hatch my ducks, I would use a fish tank with a light placed inside. Presently, I have a styrofoam incubator that costs $50. If you're looking for a good incubator, I suggest going to your local feed store to buy one. If you can't afford an incubator/don't feel like making one, a handy fishtank w/ light is the contraption for you. Place the egg in a very clean fish tank on a soft towel/old shirt. Place a light that's either built into the top or can sit on the bottom and not burn the egg. Make sure it is insulated. Keep a thermometer inside to check the temperature. And as we all know, it takes approximately 28 days for a duck/goose egg to hatch (this often varies from species to species). From about a week to a few days before hatching, you can feel the baby bird moving around inside the egg. Imprinting starts while the baby is still inside the egg. When the baby pips the egg (2 days before hatching) it can hear and respond to sounds. If you want your bird to learn its name, now is the time. When ducks are inside their eggs, they concentrate on sound more than they would normally. It will imprint immediately to your voice so it will know you when it hatches. Be consistent with the name (like with a dog), everytime you visit or pick up the soon-to-be-born egg, say its name. Pipping allows the bird to breathe its first breath of real air. The bird then starts from the piphole and knocks a whole all the way around the egg by turning its body. Normally, the bird is supplied air via its porous egg shell. This permits the transfer of gaseous waste and oxygen. The egg-white of an egg itself is full of protein that is about 88% water and 10% amino acids. It is theorized that the egg white helps support the egg yolk and keeps the developing embryo from drying out. Because eggs are porous, it is important that they are kept in a clean environment so that they are not infected. When eggs are first laid, they are covered in a protective enzyme film (provided by the mother bird) which guards it from bacteria. For this reason, many people do not wash eggs gathered from birds that are to be incubated.

There is also a trick called "Candling", where you hold a flash light under the egg and you can see the embryo that lies within. The blastoderm, or germinal spot of the embryo, always floats on top and can be seen within 48 hours of incubation. If you candle your egg and see a distinct dark patch, the egg is developing! Through candling, one can observe the development of the embryo. Within 3 weeks, the whole egg should filled up by the chick. This means it looks completely dark. After this occurs, the chick should start moving and will soon peep. Sometimes it is better to not touch the egg while it hatches. If you turn it too much while it is hatching, it can make the bird lose its place and prolong the hatch. However, I have found that talking to the bird while it hatches encourages and actually quickens hatching.

The preceding picture demonstrates how air space grows directly with egg development. When you candle your egg and see the egg space grow, it means the embryo or fetus or whatever it may be is growing nicely. However, if it does not and stays the same all the way through, this is a good indication that your egg is probably dead. Now, let's not be hasty, but if you have other eggs in the incubator that you know are growing nicely it's wise to consider throwing out the bad one. The bad egg can give out noxious gases that can harm the other eggs, since eggs are, of course, porous (they breathe). More importantly, as is the main rule, the egg should be turned twice a day. The turning ensures that as the embryo goes, it won't get stuck to the side and possibyl die. To keep mine moist, I get my hand slightly wet and pick up the egg and rub it all over. I do this once a week to make sure the egg is moist enough for hatching--if it is too dry, the duckling or gosling ( your pick) will not be able to hatch easily.

Styrofoam Incubator

Following are the conditions recommended for incubation and hatching: 

    


                Incubation   Hatching


                Day 1-25     Day 26-28


Temperature       99.5         98.5


Humidity          86           94


Turns/day         3-7           0