Tonya's Poultry Projects*
Project #1 Incubation
January 12, 2012 Start Date
Status: Complete
My first project is super cool and exciting for me. I decided I wanted to try incubating my Duck Eggs. I already had an incubator that was purchased brand new, so all I had to do was get it out and start on my project.
Here is some pictures of my "Incubation Project" -Project #1
Here is some pictures of my "Incubation Project" -Project #1
A lot of hard work has gone in to try to see if my Ducks were fertile or not. Well all the hard work is seeming to be paying off. But also my Ducks have went through a lot more hard work- work on thier bodies. I told my Mom that if Kate's egg(s) hatch then I want the Duckling(s) to know just what their Mom (Kate- Welsh Harlequin) went through. Gretel is a rough Duck. (Although, all Drakes can be) He made Kate's head go bald, so now I am trying to get her healed back up.
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Progress So Far
Incubation started on January 12, 2012
Expected hatch date February 9, 2012- give or take a day or two.
Day 1- Turned eggs.
Day 2- Found that the incubator got knocked off the automatic turner. I got that taken care of.
Day 3- Just observed- turner working correctly. Tried to candle eggs; saw no development.
Day 4- Curious as to what was going on inside.
Day 5- Candled eggs; eggs showing signs of development! We have embryos and veins!
Day 6- Checked eggs again so I could record on paper. I got to see the heart beat of 1 embryo. They have developed a lot in just one day. Sprayed eggs with lukewarm water.
Day 7- Since I candled the eggs on the days 5 and 6 I will not be candling the eggs on day 7. Will be spraying the eggs lightly with luke warm water.
Day 8- I will just observe the eggs. (All are developing well! 1-20-12)
Day 9- Candle Eggs
Day 10- Observe the eggs.
Day 11- Observe the eggs.
Day 12- Candled eggs.
Day 13- Candled eggs.
Day 14- Just observed the eggs, didn't touch them.
Day 15- Candled the eggs to see what development they done in a days time.
Day 16- Observe
Day 17- Observe
Day 18- Observe
Day 19- Candled eggs.
Day 20- Observe--------Lost my one and only Sophie egg to my nephew. -Duckling inside
Day 21- Candled a few to check air cell rate.
Day 22- Observe
Day 23- Observe
Day 24- Candle here
Day 25- or here
Day 26- #12 born at 7:12 Am (OLLI), MEADOW AND SUSIE BORN
Day 27- CAPTAIN, DRAKE, PIPPIN BORN
Day 28- Toula was born- technically she hatched on her 27th day- egg was put in a day later.
____________________________________________________________________________
Progress So Far
Incubation started on January 12, 2012
Expected hatch date February 9, 2012- give or take a day or two.
Day 1- Turned eggs.
Day 2- Found that the incubator got knocked off the automatic turner. I got that taken care of.
Day 3- Just observed- turner working correctly. Tried to candle eggs; saw no development.
Day 4- Curious as to what was going on inside.
Day 5- Candled eggs; eggs showing signs of development! We have embryos and veins!
Day 6- Checked eggs again so I could record on paper. I got to see the heart beat of 1 embryo. They have developed a lot in just one day. Sprayed eggs with lukewarm water.
Day 7- Since I candled the eggs on the days 5 and 6 I will not be candling the eggs on day 7. Will be spraying the eggs lightly with luke warm water.
Day 8- I will just observe the eggs. (All are developing well! 1-20-12)
Day 9- Candle Eggs
Day 10- Observe the eggs.
Day 11- Observe the eggs.
Day 12- Candled eggs.
Day 13- Candled eggs.
Day 14- Just observed the eggs, didn't touch them.
Day 15- Candled the eggs to see what development they done in a days time.
Day 16- Observe
Day 17- Observe
Day 18- Observe
Day 19- Candled eggs.
Day 20- Observe--------Lost my one and only Sophie egg to my nephew. -Duckling inside
Day 21- Candled a few to check air cell rate.
Day 22- Observe
Day 23- Observe
Day 24- Candle here
Day 25- or here
Day 26- #12 born at 7:12 Am (OLLI), MEADOW AND SUSIE BORN
Day 27- CAPTAIN, DRAKE, PIPPIN BORN
Day 28- Toula was born- technically she hatched on her 27th day- egg was put in a day later.
A List of My Girls and Their Fertile Eggs*
Addey- Blue Swedish
Egg Details: Eggs 2-4 might be pure Swedish or there might be another Rouen/Swedish Egg #7- Developing *This egg Rouen/Swedish -Development is good, shows pink and veins-good signs, but didn't see embryo at this candling. Egg #10- Good development and air cell rate, can see eye on embryo. Egg #8- Devloping - Very good development, can see eye and air cell rate is good. Egg #9- Development is very good, can see eye on embryo and air cell rate is good. 1-20-12 Update Sophie- White Layer
Egg Details: Pekin/White Layer or Swedish/White Layer. If this egg hatches and the Duckling is all white then it is Pekin/White Layer, if it has black and white on it or any other color it will be part Swedish. Egg #6- Developing - Development is good, can see eye. 1-20-12 Update 2-1-12 Update- Lost egg due to my nephew getting ahold of the egg. Don't know how this happened, but am very upset by it. Duckling was killed- egg squeezed. :( |
Hans- Buff Orpington
Egg Details: Orpington/Rouen Egg #4- Developing -Looks good, looks like there are two embryos- both will not hatch-unlikely Egg #5- Developing - really good-very good, can see eye, air cell rate is good. Egg #3- We kind of seen a ring around it which means it could have died, but then we seen veins. For this egg we will see and make sure to definetly check it on day 9 when I candle them. -Didn't die. Development is very good, air cell rate is good, can see eye on the embryo. 1-20-12 Update Kate- Welsh Harlequin
Egg Details: Harlequin/Pekin Egg #1- Looks good, developing -Doing good, can see eye. Egg #2- Might have died but looks like developing. - Doing good, can see eye. 1-20-12 Update |
Other Eggs:
The other eggs I have in my incubator are also fertile. These 2 eggs I believe to belong to Ford and Ava (Pekins), but somehow I didn't write on them who they belonged to. I had Ava and Ford penned in with my breeder boys to breed.
Ava was penned with Gretel, Louis, and Johnny.
Ford was penned with the same boys either the same time or the next day or before.
Egg Details: Updated- 1-20-12
Egg #11 Smaller of these two- Development- Good
Egg #12- Bigger of the these two- Development- Good (Thinking this is Ava's) Looks like there are two embryos in the egg. One could die or both could, but it is unlikely both will completly hatch. (Ended up one embryo)
The other eggs I have in my incubator are also fertile. These 2 eggs I believe to belong to Ford and Ava (Pekins), but somehow I didn't write on them who they belonged to. I had Ava and Ford penned in with my breeder boys to breed.
Ava was penned with Gretel, Louis, and Johnny.
Ford was penned with the same boys either the same time or the next day or before.
Egg Details: Updated- 1-20-12
Egg #11 Smaller of these two- Development- Good
Egg #12- Bigger of the these two- Development- Good (Thinking this is Ava's) Looks like there are two embryos in the egg. One could die or both could, but it is unlikely both will completly hatch. (Ended up one embryo)
Egg Development Updates- Most Current
Updates for 1-25-12 Day 13/Updates for 1-27-12 Day 15
Egg #
Kate 1 Veins starting to go all around egg.
Developed even more since day 13, moving around inside!
2 Appears to be doing good.
Developed even more since day 13, I seen him/her moving around inside!
Hans 3 Is moving inside, egg might be dehydrating too much.
Developed more, moving around inside.
4 Looks like 2 embryos- moving around.
Moving around inside.
5 1 embryo- alive and doing good
Developing good, moving around very good.
Sophie 6 Embryo looks good. Egg is pinkish with veins all around egg.
Doing good.
Addey
7 1 embryo, looking good. Pinkish with veins all around egg.
Moving around good, -dehydrating too much?
8 Possibly 2 embryos- looks good, moving around
inside, pinkish all around with veins.
Doing good.
9 Possibly 2 embryos- looks good, moving around
inside, pinkish all around with veins.
Really cool, moved, could see baby, developed more.
10 1 embryo, looks good. Moving around inside.
Developed more, moving around inside.
? 11 Looks good, seen eye, moving around.
Might be one that hatches last, moving around.
? 12 Looks good, developement is good,
veins and pinkish all around- good sign.
Looks good.
Updates for 1-25-12 Day 13/Updates for 1-27-12 Day 15
Egg #
Kate 1 Veins starting to go all around egg.
Developed even more since day 13, moving around inside!
2 Appears to be doing good.
Developed even more since day 13, I seen him/her moving around inside!
Hans 3 Is moving inside, egg might be dehydrating too much.
Developed more, moving around inside.
4 Looks like 2 embryos- moving around.
Moving around inside.
5 1 embryo- alive and doing good
Developing good, moving around very good.
Sophie 6 Embryo looks good. Egg is pinkish with veins all around egg.
Doing good.
Addey
7 1 embryo, looking good. Pinkish with veins all around egg.
Moving around good, -dehydrating too much?
8 Possibly 2 embryos- looks good, moving around
inside, pinkish all around with veins.
Doing good.
9 Possibly 2 embryos- looks good, moving around
inside, pinkish all around with veins.
Really cool, moved, could see baby, developed more.
10 1 embryo, looks good. Moving around inside.
Developed more, moving around inside.
? 11 Looks good, seen eye, moving around.
Might be one that hatches last, moving around.
? 12 Looks good, developement is good,
veins and pinkish all around- good sign.
Looks good.
#12 hatched 2-7-12 @ 7:17 am
Eggs hatched: #'s 2(TOULA), 3(SUSIE), 4(PIPPIN), 5(DRAKE), 7(MEADOW), 8(CAPTAIN), & 12(OLLI). 7 out of 12---pretty good. 64% hatch rate-- and they say if you get 70% you're doing extremely well! :D
Eggs hatched: #'s 2(TOULA), 3(SUSIE), 4(PIPPIN), 5(DRAKE), 7(MEADOW), 8(CAPTAIN), & 12(OLLI). 7 out of 12---pretty good. 64% hatch rate-- and they say if you get 70% you're doing extremely well! :D