Buff Duck Hen Nesting in Minnesota - Will they hatch?

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Rbreiland

In the Brooder
Jan 12, 2021
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OK. Forgive me as I am new to this, and I am definitely a rookie... My Buff hen has been laying on a set of 8 eggs for the past month. We candled them - 2 of which were unfertilized, but we allowed her to keep. This past weekend, one hatched but it died (we just found the duckling on the floor away from her nest and it was dead). We live in Minnesota, she laid them and has been sitting on her eggs directly under a heat lamp. She did steal a couple from the other hens to put in her nest. Now, I am not seeing any action with her remaining eggs - 4 of which were fertilized - but I don't dare move them to candle them or bother her to see if they're still alive... Since the others didn't hatch on Sunday, should I just assume the rest are dead and can't emerge from their shell? She's been so good about sitting on her nest and she's very protective of her nest. I don't want to take the rest from her if there's still a chance they'll hatch... But she is miserable to even be around right now, and I don't want her to be miserable any longer if there's no chance they'll make it. The eggs are still very warm to the touch and she has a beautiful deep nest she has created. I have already set up a brooder for them in a heated shop with lamps in the event they emerge.
 
Rbreiland said:
OK. Forgive me as I am new to this, and I am definitely a rookie... My Buff hen has been laying on a set of 8 eggs for the past month. We candled them - 2 of which were unfertilized, but we allowed her to keep. This past weekend, one hatched but it died (we just found the duckling on the floor away from her nest and it was dead). We live in Minnesota, she laid them and has been sitting on her eggs directly under a heat lamp. She did steal a couple from the other hens to put in her nest. Now, I am not seeing any action with her remaining eggs - 4 of which were fertilized - but I don't dare move them to candle them or bother her to see if they're still alive... Since the others didn't hatch on Sunday, should I just assume the rest are dead and can't emerge from their shell? She's been so good about sitting on her nest and she's very protective of her nest. I don't want to take the rest from her if there's still a chance they'll hatch... But she is miserable to even be around right now, and I don't want her to be miserable any longer if there's no chance they'll make it. The eggs are still very warm to the touch and she has a beautiful deep nest she has created. I have already set up a brooder for them in a heated shop with lamps in the event they emerge.
Click to expand...
I would give her 1-2 more days. If not replace the real eggs with fake eggs and let her see they won’t hatch and hopefully she will accept she needs to try again next year
 
Duckbreeder2020 said:
I would give her 1-2 more days. If not replace the real eggs with fake eggs and let her see they won’t hatch and hopefully she will accept she needs to try again next year
Click to expand...
Maybe it's just too cold for them to hatch? I realize Minnesota winter (even though it has been very mild so far this year) probably isn't the best time to hatch out eggs, but could this be the culprit?
 
Came home to find 2 ducklings have hatched! They are safely in their brooder now. 2 more are working on hatching - I can hear them! So awesome!
 

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