candling/hatching question

[tbevans]

Ok so I went out this evening to check on things and my mallard hen wasn't sitting, so I poked my head in the house to check for a pekin egg and I didn't find one but I did touch the mallard eggs and they are cool, not warm..I know they get off during the day to eat and take a swim, but is there a chance she stopped sitting since this is her first time?

 

[nchls school]

Ok so I went out this evening to check on things and my mallard hen wasn't sitting, so I poked my head in the house to check for a pekin egg and I didn't find one but I did touch the mallard eggs and they are cool, not warm..I know they get off during the day to eat and take a swim, but is there a chance she stopped sitting since this is her first time?

Yes. There is always a chance that the hen (of any specie) will abandon her nest. Hopefully your mallard has returned to the nest.

 

[Orca5094]

If the eggs were cold to the touch, she is no longer sitting. They should never get cold if the hen is incubating properly. It's true they'll get off maybe once a day for up to an hour, but that should be it. They typically cover the eggs when they get off to eat/swim and the eggs never get cold to the touch before they come back. So yes, I'd say she has abandoned her nest, or at least isn't doing a good enough job incubating since this is her first time. This is pretty common with young hens.

Do you have an incubator you can put the eggs into? Might be too late by now, but sometimes you can save them if you act quickly.

 

[tbevans]

I was afraid of this happening! I don't have an incubator yet. I have been out to check several times this morning (I just step out my back door to peek since I can see them from there) and I haven't seen her on them today, but my pekin has been in the house all morning. I'm not sure if she's sitting or if she's just in there. I know pekins aren't very broody. I believe all the eggs are dead. Would it hurt for me to collect the eggs and bring them in just long enough to candle and get pics of them?? I'd like someone experienced to look at them before I threw them out.

 

[Orca5094]

I was afraid of this happening!

I don't have an incubator yet. I have been out to check several times this morning (I just step out my back door to peek since I can see them from there) and I haven't seen her on them today, but my pekin has been in the house all morning. I'm not sure if she's sitting or if she's just in there. I know pekins aren't very broody. I believe all the eggs are dead. Would it hurt for me to collect the eggs and bring them in just long enough to candle and get pics of them?? I'd like someone experienced to look at them before I threw them out.

If no one is sitting on them, then yes of course you can bring them in to candle and get pics real quick. You'll want to look for any movement inside the eggs to indicate if they are still alive in there. I'd just be concerned about disturbing your Pekin if she is possibly sitting on them in there. Any way you can check that without disturbing her and making her leave the duck house?

You could also look up how to make a home-made incubator. They're not perfect, but better than nothing. I think it's likely too late by now for these eggs, but sometimes duck embryos can be pretty resilient and can surprise you.

 

[WVduckchick]

I had a power outage last winter, day 14 of duck incubation. I thought they were all dead, but I turned the incubator back on anyway. It took a few more hours to get back up to temp, but 4 still hatched. I think I lost 5 or thereabouts. Look very closely for movement, because they can slow their heart rates down during cooler times, and not appear to be alive. Good luck!

 

[tbevans]

OK so this is what I found. Pic#1&2 correct me if I'm wrong but they are dead.
Pic #3&4 I'm not sure about.
Pic 5&6 is the same egg, 2 different pics. Wasn't sure..

 

[Orca5094]

Egg #2 is definitely dead. Does Egg #1 have any vessels at all in that darker half? Sometimes they do develop all on one side of the egg like that at first, but then they spread out into the rest of the egg later on in development.

All the others still look good as far as I can tell, but they definitely won't make it if they're not inside an incubator right away. Can you at least set them in a box with a lamp over them for now to keep them warm while you try to make a home-made incubator? I definitely wouldn't put them back out in your duck house if no one is sitting on them. They will surely die that way.

 

[tbevans]

Omg!! I didn't get excited when I saw the blood vessels cause I didn't wanna get myself excited for nothing but if they are still good...YAY!!! LOL I can put them in a box with some pine shavings with a heat lamp that I used on ducks when they were little. The bulb in it is red..does that matter?

 

[tbevans]

On egg #1 I'm not sure but I can candle again to see.