candling/hatching question

[tbevans]

My mallard started sitting on Monday 10/19..when do I need to candle the eggs to see which ones are good? Do I just throw out the bad ones? When they hatch do I leave them with mom or do I bring them in? I know it will be getting colder by the time they hatch.

 

[nchls school]

My mallard started sitting on Monday 10/19..when do I need to candle the eggs to see which ones are good? Do I just throw out the bad ones? When they hatch do I leave them with mom or do I bring them in? I know it will be getting colder by the time they hatch.

The eggs can be candled now (after five-six days). Any eggs that are clear should be discarded. You don't say where you're from. Here in Wisconsin I would bring the ducklings in where it is warm; the hen too, if you have the room.

 

[tbevans]

Ok great! I'll try to do that this evening! I'm in north Louisiana.

 

[nchls school]

Ok great! I'll try to do that this evening! I'm in north Louisiana.

How cold does it get there? We get temperatures well below 0 for weeks at a time. I'm sure you don't get temperatures like that.

 

[tbevans]

No we don't get Temps like that. Right now the lows are in the 50's-60's and the high is in the 70's...we have bipolar weather..haha it can be jacket weather one day and shorts weather the next.

 

[tbevans]

It's also rainy here right now..hasn't rained in months and has been raining almost non stop since Saturday evening.

 

[nchls school]

It's also rainy here right now..hasn't rained in months and has been raining almost non stop since Saturday evening.

Sounds like our spring weather. Mallard ducklings are quite hardy. Check with local people; possibly the ducklings could be left with the hen without being brought in where it is warmer.

 

[tbevans]

Ok I will check around and see, but I don't think there are many duck owners around me..mainly chickens..I live in a very small "country" town. I don't plan on keeping all of them. I have people wanting them as soon as I can let them go. How long should they stay with mom/me before going to a new home?

 

[tbevans]

It finally stopped raining so I could go candle the eggs! I pulled all of the pekin eggs out because none were fertile. I checked all of the mallard eggs and some of them I could see many streaks of blood, but some of them I could only see a streak or small circle of blood.I left all of them out there and will check them again in a few days. I'm so excited I know some of them are developing!

 

[Orca5094]

The ones with just a line of blood or a blood ring ("circle of blood") have likely died very early in development, but it's always best to keep duck eggs until at least Day 10 of incubation before discarding. Sometimes they can surprise you and ones you thought weren't developing will have a nice red spider-web of healthy blood vessels the next time you candle them at 10 days. So, good call keeping your Mallard eggs for now. Good luck and keep us posted!