Hatching duck eggs can a nice and fulfilling incident. Although it may appear easy, appropriate care must be done all through the process to make sure that the egg hatches properly.

Similar method on incubating and hatching chicken eggs can be used to hatch duck eggs. However, take note of the difference between the two kinds of birds. Since duck eggs are typically larger than chicken eggs, use a larger setting tray to accommodate them.

Get the fertilized duck eggs. Do not use eggs which are cracked, double yoked, misshapen, oversized, undersized, or dirty. To get the best results, place the eggs in an incubator within 1-3 days after they were laid. Understand that different duck breeds have varying incubation time. Eggs from common ducks like Perkins need about 28 days before they can hatch. Meanwhile, an egg which comes from Muscovy ducks usually takes 35 days to hatch.

Ensure that the temperature within your incubator is set at about 99 to 99.5 degrees F for the first 25 days. You should decrease the temperature to 98.5 degrees F on the 25th day and extend the incubation for another 3 days. You should also control the humidity of the hatching duck eggs to 86 percent for the first 25 days. After that, adjust it to 94 percent for the 3 days left.

You should also use the candling technique. This is done by using any source of bright light on top of the duck egg to shine light through it. Do this to the duck eggs 7 days after to check if the fertilization is going well.

You should also turn the duck eggs in an odd frequency daily during the first 25 days. Doing it 3, 5, and 7 times are usually done by other experts. This would allow the hatching duck eggs to rest in varying positions. Make sure you do not turn the eggs after the first 25 days.

Ideally, you should allow the duckling to get out of its shell on its own. Help only when the duckling is trapped in its eggshell or has not successfully come out of its shell after 1 hour. Finally, make sure they are kept warm after the hatching process.