Incubation of duck eggs. The incubation mode: table. Duration of duck egg incubation

Each species of birds has their own incubation regimes. The first factor that affects this is the type of bird: waterfowl or land. Duck and chicken eggs differ not only in weight, but also in shell thickness, so special conditions must be created for each species. Almost a month incubation of duck eggs lasts. The incubation regimen (table below) must be strictly observed to obtain healthy chicks.

Egg picking

Collect eggs for incubation twice a day. Some breeds of ducks rush at night, others in the afternoon. For incubation of duck eggs at home, only the cleanest eggs that have no defect are selected. While you will be typing the right amount for the bookmark, you must ensure proper storage. Eggs should be kept in a dry room with a low temperature (about 15-18 degrees). During storage, air humidity is taken into account - 70-80%.

To get healthy ducklings, you need to know how to store a duck egg for incubation. So that the percentage of hatchability does not fall, the egg should be located with a blunt end up. If you turn it over, it will violate the air chamber (it is located at the blunt end), and the duckling at the conclusion may suffocate. If the egg is stored on its side, then it must be turned over at least twice a day.

Shelf life and deduction

With prolonged storage of eggs, the percentage of their hatchability is significantly reduced. Let's look at the effect of the egg storage period on incubation.

Duck eggs are collected no longer than seven days. Subsequent storage will reduce the percentage of hatchability.

Egg selection

Incubation of duck eggs at home begins only after the necessary specimens are selected. Usually, before laying each egg is displayed on an ovoscope. During this procedure, specimens with microcracks, uneven shell thickness, with dark spots inside, with a spilled yolk are detected. Such samples are removed.

Ideally, the incubation egg should look like this:

• The location of the yolk should be strictly in the center. However, eggs with slight deviations are allowed to incubate.
• Protein should be transparent, without dark spots.
• The air chamber should be located at or near the blunt end. It should not be large.

After oescopy, you can proceed to the laying of duck eggs for incubation.

Egg laying in the incubator

To get strong, healthy ducklings, you need to lay eggs correctly. This is done with a sharp end down, under a slight slope. The eggs of musky ducks are arranged horizontally. The incubation period of duck eggs depends on the breed of bird - from 23 to 28 days.

It will tell you how to perform the incubation mode, table. Incubation of duck eggs is carried out with a gradual decrease in temperature and changes in the level of humidity throughout the period.

Different equipment incubates duck eggs in different ways. The incubation mode (table above) shows the optimum temperatures for various device models.

Spraying

In the process of removing ducklings, moisture evaporates from the egg through the pores in the shell. The closer the withdrawal period, the more moisture leaves. To prevent the embryo from dying, it is necessary to reduce the loss of moisture inside the egg. This is usually done by spraying. During this procedure, cooling and hydration occurs. Spraying is done with warm water from a spray bottle. This procedure is necessary to preserve moisture while the incubation of duck eggs lasts. The incubation schedule does not indicate the need for spraying. This is due to the fact that in some devices it is possible to raise the humidity level to 95% and conduct proper cooling (industrial incubators designed for laying thousands of eggs). In them, cooling is performed automatically.

To spray eggs at home, use warm, clean water. You can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Spraying is performed twice a day - in the morning and in the evening during ventilation.

Features breeding ducklings

The entire incubation period of duck eggs must be monitored for the temperature of the egg itself. This is done in order to understand how evenly the eggs warm up inside the setter. To measure the temperature on the surface of the eggs is a thermometer. The temperature is constantly changing. In the first two weeks it reaches 38 degrees. The next week - up to 38.5 degrees, and in recent days - reaches the mark of 39. During the incubation process, the temperature of duck eggs rises due to the heat transfer of the embryos. In order not to overheat the eggs, the temperature in the cabinet is reduced.

Basic incubation rules

To achieve the maximum conclusion, it is necessary to follow the rules for the incubation of duck eggs:

• Properly collect and store eggs.
• Observe the incubation regimen.
• Properly carry out egg cooling.
• Keep the equipment clean.

To get a good brood, it is necessary to observe the schedule of incubation of duck eggs and monitor the process throughout the entire period of hatching.

Incubation of different breeds of ducks

Incubation of mute ducks and other duck species proceeds differently. This is due to the size of the eggs, the difference in the thickness of the shell, the characteristics of the breed. For example, runner ducks can be hatched without spraying. They have a fairly large percentage of hatchability. Mulard has a lower hatchability percentage. A table that shows the dependence of the brood on the shelf life of the eggs will help to more accurately determine what percentage is displayed.

Indians hatched on day 28. The Peking duck is hatched for approximately 26 days. The fastest runners are displayed - for 24 days. Musk ducks hatch only for 35 days.

Incubation of duck eggs in the Cinderella incubator and in other models of such equipment proceeds almost identically. The only difference is the temperature control . It should be selected for each model individually. It is best to determine the temperature by heating the eggs themselves. To do this, place the thermometer on the surface of the egg and follow its readings. This method will help you know exactly how many degrees the temperature at the sensors should be. All data is recommended to be recorded.

Incubation stages

When breeding ducks at home, the incubation stages are taken into account. The first starts from the moment the fertilization of the egg occurred. For this, a drake is kept on the farm. Typically, poultry farmers form families consisting of one drake and four ducks.

At the first stage, the process of selecting eggs for incubation and laying them in a cabinet takes place. From the first day of incubation, the second stage begins. At this time, the embryo forms internal organs, the heart begins to beat. By the way, with oescopy, the cardiovascular system is clearly visible. If you look closely, it is noticeable how the heart beats. During this period, it is necessary to ensure good warming of the eggs.

The third stage begins on the eighth day of incubation. During this period, the skeleton begins to form in the chicks. At this time, a lot of oxygen should enter the cabinet. Usually from the eighth day in the incubator open additional ventilation holes.

On the eighteenth day the fourth stage begins. On it there is enhanced heat transfer inside the egg. At this time, it is necessary to monitor the temperature of the eggs, as it can reach 41 degrees. To prevent overheating, the temperature in the cabinet is reduced, while continuing to monitor the temperature on the surface of the eggs.

The last stage is the conclusion. In some breeds of ducks, the shell is very thick. To soften it, you need to lower the temperature in the cabinet and increase the humidity level. In such conditions, it will be easier for ducklings to hatch and choose from the shell.

Duck egg incubation errors

Incubating duck eggs is not easy, as it might seem at first glance. Beginners can face a variety of problems during incubation. In order to get a healthy, strong offspring, it is necessary to thoroughly approach not only the process of breeding ducklings, but also the feeding, as well as the content of the breeding herd:

• There must be a drake in the breeding herd. For breeding, individuals are selected that are not affected by negative factors. If a duck appeared in the tribe with any disability, with poor health, then it is rejected.
• Eggs for incubation are harvested from February to April. Everything that is collected later is not used to breed ducklings.
• With improper feeding of captive individuals, the offspring hatch with various deformities and pathologies of internal organs.
• Overheating, hypothermia and underheating of musky eggs leads to the rapid death of embryos.
• During incubation, it is necessary to monitor the level of humidity. With high humidity, ducklings die in the amniotic fluid, not having time to hatch.

Also during the incubation process, other problems may arise. Some of them are described in the table below.

Ducklings

Hatched ducklings from the hatcher are taken after they are completely dry. They are placed in a box (brooder), in which there is a sufficient amount of light. The temperature in the room should be 23-25 ​​degrees. Daily ducklings weigh about 60 grams. The exact weight depends on the breed of the duck. Now consider the ratio of eggs to the weight of the daily duckling.

Compliance with the rules for collecting and storing eggs, the incubation regime will allow you to get the maximum brood.

With proper feeding, ducklings by the age of three months do not differ from adults. Some breeds mature in two months. Adult ducks begin to lay eggs from 4.5-6 months, depending on the breed.