Orphaned eggs

EggsnQuackers

In the Brooder
7 Years
Dec 12, 2012
71
2
43
NW Minnesota
We had a Cayuga hen sitting on a nest of 9 eggs. I guesstimated they'd be hatching some time late this week (Friday-ish). The plan was to just let mama handle everything. She'd been an excellent broody. Until last night on her daily sojourn outside she was taken by a fox. It was horrible. The fox took her right from the front yard while I was in the garage. Anyway, after securing the rest of the flock I took her eggs inside and put them in the incubator.
I've hatched out eggs in the incubator before but I've always started fresh... Never when they're "half cooked" like this.
The incubator has an auto turner. It's on at the moment I was planning on turning it off Wednesday unless I saw pipped eggs before then. Like I said before, I really don't know an exact hatch date. We'd just let the eggs pile up until someone decided to sit on them. Then after a week of setting I culleded the eggs I didn't want. I candled them about two weeks ago and they looked to be where they should.
Has anyone been through a similar situation? Any advice? How bad is it to leave the turner on too long?
 
Oops I just realized you are talking about duck eggs... If they are anything like chicken eggs then I guess you could stop turning them earlier than usual but I have never hatched duck eggs before. Sorry about that.
 
No worries. My greatest concern is I don't know exactly what day they are on. I usually stop turning my duck eggs on day 25. But since this bunch was incubated by the hen and laid organically I haven't been keeping track of the days. I figured the duck would know best. Since she's not around anymore I'm somewhat at a loss.
If they turn for an extra day or two would that be harmful? Obviously, I'd shut off the turner if I saw any eggs pip.
 
I think it would be better to stop turning earlier rather than later so that the ducks have time to orient themselves in the proper position. I have the opposite problem right now with a cat eating the developing eggs but not harming the broody hens.
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