Muscovy ducklings look like they will hatch a week early?!?!?!

I noticed today 6 out of 11 eggs have pipped since yesterday. Eggs aren't due until about next Monday. They are under our lovely Muscovy duck "Pip" and this is her second hatch. First one was in October and she had 4 out of 6 eggs hatch at about day 36-37. I thought we must be a week out with our dates so double checked the calender and she has defintely only being on them for about 28-30 days. She definately layed her last in the clutch exactly 30 days ago as I had been keeping an eye on her so I knew when to starting counting.

Can extreme heat make them develop early? It is summer here in Australia and over the past month we have had temps ranging from as low as 21 degrees celcius up to 44 degrees celcius. I'm so use to incubating quail and chicken eggs that I find natural incubation makes me nervous. Also, I think one has definately died late as egg has developed big dark patch. This happen to remaing two out of the 6 last hatch around time of pipping and when cracked they were fully formed ducklings that had died in the shell without pipping. I read infection from chooks can cause this???? And should I remove the dark patchy egg? Very tempted too given the result last time as I would hate it to infect any of the others, but there's that thought of 'what if it hasn't died' and given they seem to be a week early....????

Looking forward to some advice and reassurance.

Well, they are definately going to hatch. They have pipped more and one has a hole in it and I can see what appears to be a foot!!! So today is day 31 from last laid egg.

Del1977 said:

Well, they are definately going to hatch. They have pipped more and one has a hole in it and I can see what appears to be a foot!!! So today is day 31 from last laid egg.

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How are things going with hatch? I usually candle before removing any eggs close to hatch day. Only problem with leaving one that may not be any good is exploding in the nest and spreading bacteria all over hatching eggs. I love hatching under moms least stressful for me I can't imagine using an incubator
@Del1977

We had 8 eggs out of the 11 hatch 2 days ago. All appear to be healthy except for one that we suspect may be blind or have poor vision. Thinking it may have bee the heat during incubation if that is the case. They are absolutely gorgeous and our beautiful Mum is doing such a wonderful job with them. She even took them for their first swimming lesson at only 1 day old!!!

Will try and post pics later.

Anyone else had duckings hatch this early under a duck????

Del1977 said:

Anyone else had duckings hatch this early under a duck????

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Nope it's too early for most of us. Unless in the deep south like @Ren2014 she has ducklings hatch year round

How are they doing today ? keep close watch on the lil one you suspect with vision problems it may have a problem with water and keeping up with the rest.

Looking forward to pics and Congratulations!!

I actually just saw this morning my Scovy drake mating with one of his girls for the first time since last Sept. So eggs will soon be on their way.

We live in Australia, and like I said it has been very hot during incubation, so assuming that has sped up development.

The blind one seems to be doing fine and swimming in the little 'pond' just fine, although sometimes it gets left behind and starts to cheep and Mum cheeps back until it catches up. She is such a good Mum.

Del1977 said:

We live in Australia, and like I said it has been very hot during incubation, so assuming that has sped up development.

The blind one seems to be doing fine and swimming in the little 'pond' just fine, although sometimes it gets left behind and starts to cheep and Mum cheeps back until it catches up. She is such a good Mum.

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Don't you love a good mama. They are just precious and mama is beautiful.

Del1977 said:

We live in Australia, and like I said it has been very hot during incubation, so assuming that has sped up development.

The blind one seems to be doing fine and swimming in the little 'pond' just fine, although sometimes it gets left behind and starts to cheep and Mum cheeps back until it catches up. She is such a good Mum.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Soooo cute! If you're counting from the last egg laid I would say some started cooking a few days before due to your heat there and given that it sounds about right. I'm no expert so that's just my opinion. Did the blind one hatch last? Scovies are the best moms for sure!

Ren2014 said:

CONGRATULATIONS! Soooo cute! If you're counting from the last egg laid I would say some started cooking a few days before due to your heat there and given that it sounds about right. I'm no expert so that's just my opinion. Did the blind one hatch last? Scovies are the best moms for sure!

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Not sure if the blind one hatched last as I couldn't get a good look at them during hatching because she was keeping them tucked safely under her until they finished hatching. They all hatched within 12hours. She would raise her chest and let me have a quick look as if showing them off but them hide them again. So cute. She did that last hatch too. Her last hatch was 4 months ago and significantly cooler and they took about 37 days to hatch.

Let her and her ducklings out into the yard with the father, 'Bob', this afternoon for a meet and greet. Such a gorgeous family. Was so taken by them wandering around after Mum and Dad that I forgot to take a pic.