About to start day 18 - duck or chicken egg help ASAP!!

[Susan K]

We were given an egg that was found in an area where there are both ducks and chickens. I have candled and googled so many times and still am not sure if I've got a chicken or a duck egg! Day 18 starts at 1 pm Hawaiian time today - and I still don't know if the egg should be on lockdown! I'm attaching pictures of where the air sac is at when I candled about 10 minutes ago (used a sharpie when I probably shouldn't have!) It is still pretty unclear, but I'm leaning toward duck egg. My chickens are silkies; so their eggs are smaller, and I can't compare the size. The missing numbers on the duck egg illustration are 18, 21, and 27. Missing numbers on the chicken egg illustration are 14 and 18. Thanks!

 

[MGG]

We were given an egg that was found in an area where there are both ducks and chickens. I have candled and googled so many times and still am not sure if I've got a chicken or a duck egg! Day 18 starts at 1 pm Hawaiian time today - and I still don't know if the egg should be on lockdown! I'm attaching pictures of where the air sac is at when I candled about 10 minutes ago (used a sharpie when I probably shouldn't have!) It is still pretty unclear, but I'm leaning toward duck egg. My chickens are silkies; so their eggs are smaller, and I can't compare the size. The missing numbers on the duck egg illustration are 18, 21, and 27. Missing numbers on the chicken egg illustration are 14 and 18. Thanks!

The air cell size will not help you find out what type of fowl it is.
Candling pics will help determine the type, as ducks on day 18 and chickens on day 18 look very different.
Can you also post a pic of the egg?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If its almost completely full (full with an airsac) lock down. If there's still space plus the airsac, it's not ready to lock down

 

[Susan K]

Here is the egg next to a silkie egg

 

[MGG]

Here is the egg next to a silkie egg

Which one is the egg in question?

 

[Susan K]

Which one is the egg in question?

Sorry! the one with the mark

 

[Susan K]

If its almost completely full (full with an airsac) lock down. If there's still space plus the airsac, it's not ready to lock down

Just took this picture - it looks like there is a bit of space. Still movement in there too

 

[MGG]

Sorry! the one with the mark

It's ok! It doesn't really look like a duck egg to me (ducks have a weird bloom on their eggs that is helpful in distinguishing them from chicken eggs) but the candling pic looks like a day 18 duck.
A chicken egg on day 18 should be almost completely dark inside.

 

[Susan K]

It's ok! It doesn't really look like a duck egg to me (ducks have a weird bloom on their eggs that is helpful in distinguishing them from chicken eggs) but the candling pic looks like a day 18 duck.
A chicken egg on day 18 should be almost completely dark inside.

That's what I was thinking too. If it was a chicken, from what I've seen on the internet, the egg should be really dark inside. First day we saw a little heartbeat was day 3 - did not see on day 2. If it is a duck, and I don't rotate just in case it is a chicken, would it be harmful if it is a duck?

 

[MGG]

That's what I was thinking too. If it was a chicken, from what I've seen on the internet, the egg should be really dark inside. First day we saw a little heartbeat was day 3 - did not see on day 2. If it is a duck, and I don't rotate just in case it is a chicken, would it be harmful if it is a duck?

No, it won't harm it. I would recommend turning it at least a few more days at least though. It does not look very close yet.
Don't lock it down until it looks more full and you see shadowing. You can post candling pics here if you have any more questions about when to lock it down!