Incubating duck and chicken eggs together?

muffin57 · Post by **muffin57** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:17 pm

I am considering putting a few Welsh Harlequin duck eggs in my hovabator and then a week after putting in some partridge chantecler chicken eggs. Would this work? Any input appreciated if anyone has tried this.

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:22 pm

Yes I do the same. Just stagger the start in order to have the same hatch day.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:36 pm

Doug whats the secret to hatching duck eggs? do you do anything different than chicken eggs? iv never had much success but maybe my lack of success may have not have been the incubation process and rather the condition of the breeding ducks? 2/6 call ducks hatched but failed to thrive. 0/8? muskovies hatched and 0/6? goose eggs hatched. all were incubated the same as i do for chicken/quail with the dry method. I figured I wasnt doing it right and never tried again but maybe it wasnt me and could have been related to feed/condition of the breeders. Ill take any advice I can get.

Thanks!

Doug The Chickenman wrote:QR_BBPOST Yes I do the same. Just stagger the start in order to have the same hatch day.

muffin57 · Post by **muffin57** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:40 pm

Thanks Doug! I am going to try.

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:37 am

I do not use the dry method. I keep the humidity at the 50-55 mark then raise it for hatch. I also open the cabnet door for about 15 mins each day and spray the eggs with water. This is what is recommended by Dave Holderead in his book Raising Ducks.
I will double check the exact wording when I get home and post.

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:14 am

If you think about it. Duck and Geese are waterfowl so they will lay thier eggs where it is more damp and when they sit on them that will raise the humidity. so dry hatch does not work in my experience.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:29 am

Thanks for all the info Doug. it definitely makes sense to me! I think im guna let them take care of incubation and hatching so I can keep my incubators full of chicken eggs.

Have a good one!

muffin57 · Post by **muffin57** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:37 pm

Good to know Doug, as I set the eggs last night. 8 eggs to be exact. I'm raising the humidity now. Thank you!

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:46 pm

Fingers Crossed!!!!!

muffin57 · Post by **muffin57** » Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:00 pm

Doug, what should the humidity be for lock down?