Duck Eggs Versus Chicken Eggs

What is the Difference in Hatching?

Recently, we had a school contact us wanting to have fertilized chicken eggs for their classroom.  We are more than happy to oblige, as watching a chick grow inside an egg is one of the most fascinating things to observe.  I love teaching kids about how a chick develops from a tiny cell to a fully developed bird in just 21 days.   It is nothing short of miraculous.  Right now we are incubating Welsh Harlequin ducks.  I’ve lost track of how many birds we have hatched, but I am no less fascinated by the process now than when we did it for the first time.

One of the teachers wanted to hatch duck eggs at the same time as the chicken eggs.  Many of you new to homesteading and raising poultry may not realize that hatching duck eggs requires different humidity levels and incubation times from chicken eggs.  Therefore, I advise people not to hatch them in the same incubator together.

So what are the differences?  We have found that duck hatching is a bit more difficult than hatching chicks, so be prepared for a lower hatch rate with waterfowl.

Here are a few differences:

• The different chicken breeds have basically the same incubation periods, however, the different breeds of waterfowl actually have different incubation lengths. Chickens incubate for 21 days.  Ducks, depending on the breed, can incubate from 28-35 days (you begin counting days once they are placed in the incubator).
• Waterfowl need a higher humidity level than chickens.
• “As the duckling develops inside the egg there is a loss of water from the egg and an increase in the size of the air cell. If the duckling is developing normally, the air cell should occupy about one-third of the space inside the egg at 25 days of incubation (common ducks). Weight loss can also be used as a guide. Common duck eggs should lose about 14% of their weight at the time of setting by 25 days [2].”

We have found that chickens seem to be a bit more forgiving, whereas the waterfowl need to be more precise.  So here are a few tips to help you have a successful hatch for both ducks and chickens.

1. To begin with, you have to choose the right incubator for you and your homestead. I go over choosing an incubator HERE, so I won’t rehash the details now.  You can use the same incubator for ducks or chickens, just not at the same time.  We use the Brinsea Octagon 20 ECO.  You can read about this incubator HERE.
2. Collecting eggs is basically the same for both. Lightly clean soiled eggs with a cloth.  Do not wash as this will take away the bloom surrounding the egg that protects it from invading bacteria.  Heavily dirty eggs should not be used.
3. If you only have a few hens, then you can collect eggs for a few days. It is best not to go over a week (some websites will tell you not to go over two weeks) before starting incubation.  Hatch rates drop the longer you wait to incubate.  Keep the eggs stored at 50-60 degrees and 75% humidity.  Raise to room temperature before placing in the incubator.
4. Eggs need to be placed in the incubator with the air sac up. That means the pointed side is down.
5. The temperatures for both are 99-99.5 degrees F. Keep an eye on the thermometer.  As the babies start to develop, they will generate their own heat, so the thermostat may need to be turned down.
6. Temperature is where the similarities stop. As I stated above, the humidity difference is great. “Chicken eggs need 50-55% humidity for days 1-18, and 65-75% for days 19-21. Duck eggs like 55-65% humidity for days 1-24. From day 25 to first pipping (ducklings start to crack the egg, usually around day 28), humidity should be around 65-75%. When pipping starts, increase humidity to 80-85%[1].”
7. Open the incubator only when necessary.  For example, if you need to candle (we candle after 7 days to see which are developing and about halfway through to sure they continue to develop) or add water.
8. All eggs need to be turned. You can buy incubators with automatic turners or you can do it by hand.  The main one we use has to be turned manually.  If you are hand turning, then it needs to be done no less than three times/day.  The more often you can do it (especially during the first week), the better.  If I am home, I will try and do it every hour.
9. For ducks, we do a cooling and misting period from day 10 to day 25 (Welsh Harlequin) [2]. This means that we take the top off the incubator and allow the eggs to cool down till it feels about neutral.  Then we mist them and allow the temperature to rise again
10. Egg turning is stopped three days before hatching and the eggs are laid on their sides. This time is called “lockdown.”  This is the time to increase the humidity and not to open the incubator.  Just like humans get into position to be delivered, so do the chicks and ducklings.  Not moving them makes it easier for the babies to stay in the proper position for hatching.
11. It is best not to help the babies hatch. Let nature take its course. “It is usually 12-18 hours from pipping (first hole in the egg) to hatching, though it can take up to 48 hours. It is called “unzipping” when the baby chips at the egg in a circle. There can be up to a four-day difference between when the first baby hatches and the last one hatches [2].” Let the incubator run a couple days longer than the last incubation day.

It’s easy to get discouraged and think that you may have done something wrong when a hatch doesn’t happen the way that you think it should, especially when you see that others seem to have an easier time of it.  Keep at it.  Track what you do and make adjustments where necessary.  We hope that these tips help you.

Sources:

1. http://www.nantahala-farm.com/chicken-duck-incubate-eggs-s.shtml

2. http://www.metzerfarms.com/IncubatingAndHatching.cfm