Duck eggs generally take about 28 days to hatch, except for Muscovy duck eggs, which take longer-around 33 to 35 days
. Bantam duck breeds may hatch slightly earlier, around 26 days
. During incubation, the eggs need to be kept at a temperature of approximately 37.5°C (99.5°F) with relative humidity around 55-75% for the first 25 days, increasing humidity to 65-80% as hatching approaches
. The female duck instinctively maintains these conditions when naturally incubating. The hatching process involves several stages:
- Around day 18, candling can reveal embryo development.
- By day 25, eggs are placed in "lockdown" where they are no longer turned to allow ducklings to assume the hatching position
- The duckling begins "internal pipping" (breathing air from the air cell inside the egg) 1-2 days before hatching.
- "External pipping," the first crack in the shell, occurs about 12-24 hours later, followed by the duckling breaking free from the shell
In summary, expect most duck eggs to hatch after about 28 days of incubation under proper conditions, with some variation depending on breed and incubation care
