Did my Indian Runner Abandoned her egg?

[Ducks81]

Hello, I have an Indian runner that I noticed was missing a lot from the rest and realized she was sitting on the eggs. Her and another peeking lay in the same spot. The Peking Duck is no longer with us but the Indian Runner has continued to sit. I had been checking them by candling about every 3 days or so, and I was seeing the heartbeat, growth, some I can see the black dot that is the eye. I would guess they are about 10 days...well yesterday when I went to check on their growth I noticed they were cold...not warm like usual. I have also notice her out and about more often then usual. Do you think she abandoned them? Does she still have time to keep them alive? Will she change her mind and start sitting again? This is my first experience with this and I am wondering if the only option for them to continue growing is if I was to intervene with an incubator? I am not really sure we will want to do that as this wasn’t planned but once I caught her being broody, I let her at it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel so bad that I was seeing them grow and now I fear they may just die if she has given up on them...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure sounds like she may have given up. I have Indian Runners and I cannot imagine one of them even sticking to a nest of eggs for more than a day. When was the last time she was on the eggs?

 

[Ducks81]

She was doing so well too!!! It’s been about two days maybe 3 if I didn’t notice... I’m not sure if she is just not f’ing it all day but sometimes? I do find them covered and the best is where her and the male sleep. What do you think I should do?

 

[Ducks81]

Sitting on them at all all day or just sometimes is what I meant...

 

[Isaac 0]

If the eggs have been unheated for three days, they are most likely dead.

 

[Ducks81]

If the eggs have been unheated for three days, they are most likely dead.

That is so sad...so what should I do? See if I can see any movement? Check for anymore growth? Check for warmth? I’m pretty sure at night when they sleep they must be laying on them bc it’s in the corner in there house where they sleep...or would heating them at night not be enough?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Candle of course before discarding.

 

[Ducks81]

Ok so I’m going to try and save them. I just can’t let them die. I can’t get to an incubator until tomorrow, how can I keep them warm until then?

 

[DuckyDonna]

get a heating pad, hot water bottle or heat lamp, something to get the temperature up to 99.5°. Try a box with a bit of ventilation but with a cover on it to keep the heat in. I wouldn't worry about the humidity so much right now but get some heat on them if you want to try to save them.

 

[Ducks81]

get a heating pad, hot water bottle or heat lamp, something to get the temperature up to 99.5°. Try a box with a bit of ventilation but with a cover on it to keep the heat in. I wouldn't worry about the humidity so much right now but get some heat on them if you want to try to save them.

I ended up making this as I found instructions on the web...i do now have a better thermometer that does tell me the humidity as well...