Duck eggs turning black? HELP! (pic)

[Musicchic98]

I have Ancona duck eggs doing this to me right now! Two days ago everyone was peeping and shaking in the shell. Then yesterday one had pipped, but the other three were turning dark blueish black inside the shell. When I candled them I could no longer see movement. It was just one day earlier they were cheeping and rocking. There is no smells. Should I leave them a day or so and see? Is it possible that they just are to big to see movement now? I could have swore I saw one twitch while ago, but now I think I may have wishful thinking! I don't want the one duckling to grow up alone!

 

[Katelyn1153]

I've had about 5 out of the 18 I started with do the same thing and they were all dead or ended up dying. I'm a little worried because I have in egg that I thought was dead because it was so far behind from my other eggs. I candled it a few days later and the little body had so much movement in the egg so I thought it was just a late bloomer. Then today I checked it again and the air pocket end it starting to turn that color but the egg is still moving inside when I candle it. This is the one little egg I was pulling for so I hope it makes it but I don't have high hopes since my eggs are due to start hatching any day and like I said this little guy is half the size of the other eggs but still full of veins and moving so who knows

 

[Soza5]

3 of my duck eggs turned black... they were in the nest yesterday but today they were gone.. I can't find them in my pen anywhere
What could have happened?

 

[Homemama]

Any idea what happened to them? I have some dark ones that she is still sitting on but also think their was more and some missing.

 

[Vicky12]

This is happening to one of my Aylesbury ducks now - they were due to hatch today and one hatched yesterday morning and the other this morning.

But my third egg has now turned very dark and black looking - I heard cheeping from the egg yesterday but nothing today.

How did it turn out - did the eggs hatch for anyone this has happened to?

I'm really worried!

 

[StarCreekFarm]

I had this happen to my only egg that made it 26 days, the embryo looked fabulous, then it started to turned black. At day 30 it started to smell, so I knew it was dead. I opened it up and a perfect little duckling, feathers and all.

So sad

 

[calichicken]

Does anyone know what is happening to make the eggs turn dark? I had this happen to my duck eggs his year and none of them hatched

It was sooo sad! I do this every year in my classroom and would like to know how this happened so maybe I can prevent it next year!

 

[calichicken]

Any info from some experienced people out there would be VERY much appreciated

 

[calichicken]

ANYONE?????

 

[StarCreekFarm]

So sorry for you too ! The turning black is a sign the egg is rotting inside after the embryo dies. I would look for reasons the embryo died. I found this site:http://beautyofbirds.com/deadinshell.html

Of note:

Special Note about Duck / Goose Eggs: Dave Holderread in his book, 'Storey's Guide to RAISING DUCKS" recommends that duck / goose eggs be sprayed or sprinkled with warm water to prevent the egg membranes from drying out and becoming tough during the hatch (potentially resulting in "dead-in-shells). He recommends spraying or sprinkling these eggs with warm water (about 100 degree Fahrenheit) once each day from day 4 to 26. In nature, the hen will get off the eggs and into the water at least once a day to feed and drink. She will then return to the nest and continue to brood the eggs with her wet plumage - naturally wetting down the eggs.

Are you misting the eggs with water ? I hadn't been doing that. Metzer Farms site has more info.