Candling duck eggs, I thought they were dead?

[Weeg]

Here are 2 out of three duck eggs that my mother duck has been sitting on for way too long, yet she's still so dedicated. I was almost certain they were dead, but then finally got too candle them when she was off. I didn't have time to get all three pics, but I got two.
Ps. When I was carrying them back to the nest, I felt something solid in both of them. I couldn't tell if it moved, or I moved it. I don't know for sure, but there is defiantly something in there, dead or alive.


Egg #1

Egg #2

 

[Weeg]

Sorry the pics aren't great, the camera wouldn't focus.

 

[MGG]

Egg 2 is the only maybe. What day is it on?

 

[MGG]

What you felt in them might have been the contents sloshing, usually indicates a dead and decomposing embryo.

 

[em_dawson]

Egg 2 is the only maybe. What day is it on?

x2. #1 is definitely dead, sorry. I see some veins in #2 (I think) but it seems a bit sketchy.

 

[Weeg]

I don't know for sure what day its on, originally we had a mallard who was sitting on eggs, then I let three more of my ducks join her on the nest, mistake. Eventually, my mallard gave up, and we had two sitting still. I then separated one of the mommas realizing that communal nests are a bad idea, and hoped they would still hatch. Overall, she's been sitting for at least two months or more. Thats why I was almost certain the eggs were dead, should I toss them? Or should i let her sit so maybe the second egg will hatch? Thanks so much!

 

[Weeg]

Ya, I wasn't hopeful for them, but our mallard who was originally sitting is trying again, so maybe we will get ducklings from her.

 

[Weeg]

My other reason to think maybe they were alive, is because she's been sitting so long that if they were dead it seems the air sack would start to disapate, right? It still seems so big, I am pondering on if I should take her eggs or just leave them. Our momma seems so hopeful and protected of her nest. Should i take them or leave them for a chance one will hatch?

 

[MGG]

My other reason to think maybe they were alive, is because she's been sitting so long that if they were dead it seems the air sack would start to disapate, right? It still seems so big, I am pondering on if I should take her eggs or just leave them. Our momma seems so hopeful and protected of her nest. Should i take them or leave them for a chance one will hatch?

Leave them for a few more days. The first is definitely dead.

 

[Weeg]

Alright, thank you. If there is a chance the second one will hatch, then how long until the hatch do you think?