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duck egg help

17 years ago

Hello-

We have two duck eggs in our incubator on day 27. We don't know what type of ducks they are. The smaller lighter colored egg is making peeping noises and we can feel movement. The larger egg isn't making any sounds and we cannot feel any movement. It does not smell. When we candle it, it is full and dark with a small air space-it feels heavier than the other egg and has an ever so light greenish tint to it. Does it just need more time, or do you think it has died? This is our first attempt at hatching eggs. How long after the peeping sounds until hatching?

thank you so much for any help,

mary

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Comments (4)

shellybabe
17 years ago
The first one of course should hatch out in the next day or so, the other one, sounds to be rotten to me. I have hatched out many many duck eggs, and those kind were usually the ones that went bad.
Did you candle them earlier? Did the second one ever have a ducky figure to it? Or was it always sort of vague?
Have fun with your new baby!!
schmargy
Original Author
17 years ago
Hello-

Thank you for your advice. The other egg did have a shape inside and we could see it moving when candled before it got so big. It doesn't smell at all. We had another egg that died about 1/2 way through and it was gray and smelly. We did get it out quickly as we have a very eager 7-year-old who looks at the eggs multiple times a day just to make sure they are still in there! : ) The questionable egg is larger and a different color than the peeping egg. We were wondering if maybe it was a Muscovy duck and could take a little longer.

mary
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Yes, she will set on a nest of nonfertile eggs. The sex drive of male mallards is incredible. Especially this time of year when the hens are all setting and are unavailable, or the unattached males are just dieing to get some action. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if they flew in for a romp every day, assuming that you have an uncovered pen, which you must, or why would you even think that they could have bred her? The big danger with that set up, is that she is dead meat if any predators happen by. They don't call them sitting ducks for nothing, although the proper term is "setting". If the eggs are fertile, you can tell now by candling them with a flashlight. If any are clear, throw them out, leaving the others, and get rid of the ball. If they are all clear, take them, so she'll start laying for you again. You should also know that Campbells, as a laying breed, are notoriously poor mothers. You'll find many exceptions, and people delight in bragging that they have one who sets full term and actually raises the young to boot. Still, those are the exceptions, and in general, even if they do set, they have a high rate of abandonment of eggs, or of ducklings, if they get that far.
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If you help it out it could make it to where it won't be able to walk. They have to break out of their shell themselves, I don't know how it works, but somehow it strenghthens their little legs and they needto break out of that shell on their own. It is for their own good. It might not hurt to try to peel off a little of the egg, but don't peel off too much...
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if not too late... don't have to separate if you have a large enough pen drake shouldn't attack them, but be on guard for possibility our experience is those eggs hatch on the morning of the 28th day of incubating mother duck hen is efficient and will stay on the nest with the ducklings until the last one is hatched or if separated by more than 24 hours will take off the ducklings and leave any eggs on the nest. Make sure if ducklings have access to water they also have a ramp so they can climb out. The adult ducks won't help them and their shorter legs don't either. It is easier for them to enter than get out. Improvise with what you have making sure that it's not a slick surface. Blocks of wood screwed or nailed together on either side of the pool like a step up & over & down work as does wire covered wood ramps. Wet wood is slick for them and slimes up quickly in a duck environment. Watch out for sharp wire edges that could injure them. Fluffy down isn't as efficient as preened adult feathers, so they will get wet and need to dry off.
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shellybabe
17 years ago
That is quite possible, since you did see some movement earlier. I would give it a few more days to make sure. I believe Muscovy eggs do take a bit longer than the usual ducky 28. I have an eager 7 year old too and I know how dissapointed they can be when one doesn't make it. I hope it does. Good luck.
robin_maine
17 years ago
Muscovy eggs take 35 days to hatch. You can put the egg up to your ear and listen for movement. If you think the egg might be rotten be very careful when you handle it. You don't want it exploding at your ear.

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