Are duck chicks developing?

[grojoenergy]

Ok, so I am on day 21 with some eggs I put in incubator, I've Been following instructions online and I see the air pocket on the eggs, followed by the dark embryo, BUT the other side of the egg isn't completely dark. So I see he light egg air pocket then a thick line of dark and then a semi dark area. Shouldn't it be completely dark, and shouldn't I be able to see the chick?

 

[carcar80]

Hi there. I'm new to BYC too.. no hatching expert but I'll tell you what I've got. I have eggs that were set on March 2nd/3rd so I'm at about the same plac as you. My eggs are dark all the way from air cell to the other end at this point. I can see movement around the cell, and there is a lighted area on most near the middle, but it is surrounded by fuzz and movement. I do have one egg that is moving a lot but the baby is SMALL. That's why I'm here now.

Welcome to BYC!

edit: are you seeing movement? I have lots of movement still, though getting cramped in there..

 

[grojoenergy]

Well I checked them again right now and 4/7 are all dark at the bottom aside from the air cell. The other three have light liquid area. I don't see movement, perhaps because its morning. I did realize that the other 3 were quitters.

 

[carcar80]

Was yesterday the last time you had looked? I'm always amazed at how much they can change from one day to the next. Without being able to see for myself, I would say it sounds pretty normal to me. Sometimes I have to encourage movement a little from mine, just a really gentle/slow spin or such, but I just have to see it for my own peace of mind.

 

[grojoenergy]

Well, I checked them at 5 am and again right now so this whole time has been them sleeping I think they look like they should at this point, with the exception of maybe 3. Btw did you get my two cents on your thread?

 

[carcar80]

I did, thanks much. I haven't ever dealt with chicken eggs so "28" is engrained in my mind. The day 18 really freaked me out! Haha

 

[grojoenergy]

Haha, lets keep in touch to see how the babies are doing! I tried to incubate chicken eggs a while back but be temp was waaaay off cause of the thermometer from little giant; this time I have 3 thermometers all reading the same temps, so hopefully these baby ducks are born! The mallard hens never sit on their eggs!

 

[carcar80]

Sure thing. You know, I thought I was having trouble with my LG thermometer in the beginning, but it turned out to be fine. I calibrated one of my hubby's "spike"/ "automotive" thermometers that I was able to check with ice water and turned out they were fairly dead-on together. So I left them both in there. Last week I took out hubby's thermometer bc I'm comfy enough with the mercury now. Hopefully not a mistake..

Are your eggs Mallard? They are the CUTEST babies. So sweet, but then I'm sure all ducks are. There's just something about ducks. Such personalities. My mallard girl did end up hatching out sixteen last summer after her first nest was trashed.. all sixteen were gone within the first two weeks bc of all the turtles in our pond. That's another reason I took these eggs when I found them. I'm hoping she's laying somewhere else right now and I can track it down. She's definitely not sitting yet. If she does, I'm gonna let her sit the next ones until the last week. Then I'll finish them. This whole 28 days is quite a job!

 

[grojoenergy]

You can take them away from her at 2 days and have them somewhere safe. Yes, the ducks are mallard, they are beautiful! I love the blue and purple they have on their wings!