Double Yolk Egg Incubating - Help Me Prepare!

[seachainanmadra]

Early last week, I unexpectedly lost Helen, one of my favorite ducks. Since I had a stubbornly broody chicken, I gathered up the freshest duck eggs I had and tossed them under her. There are 8 total, and I thought I only had one egg from Helen, but I candled last night had noticed that the odd-shaped egg that I thought was from my largest layer was actually a double yolker from Helen (she laid small, torpedo shaped eggs, so her eggs were easy to pick out). Both yolks are developing and both embryos appear to be moving.

I know that the outcome from double-yolk eggs isn't great and I wouldn't have incubated this egg if I'd realized what it was, but now that we're almost 2 weeks in, I really want to see it out. I would really like to keep one of Helen's babies, so I'm wanting to increase my odds of getting a female. I've done as much research as possible, but most of the threads I've found were just people haphazardly tossing a double-yolk egg into a batch of eggs that were already incubating just to see what happens. I know that an assisted hatch might be necessary, but can't find much in the way of instructions for how to do it. Also, most of the info I've found deals with incubators and chicks, not ducks and broody mamas.

I am prepared for the worst and I know that both ducklings will probably die, but I want to be prepared so that I can give them the best chance possible. Can anyone offer any advice for hatching in this situation? I have a few specific questions:

1. Is the mama likely to assist the ducklings in any way, or should I expect to intervene on my own? Should I intervene anyway, in case the mama does more harm than good? The hen is less that a year old and this is her first hatch, but she seems to have excellent instincts.

2. I just hatched a batch of 4 duck eggs under a bantam hen the day that I set this new clutch. The ducklings were due on an Thursday, but had pipped by Monday and were out on Tuesday. Should I expect similar timing with this new clutch, and if so, when should I consider assisting? Day 28 would be a Tuesday, so I'd be happy if they pip early again, since I would be home on the weekend to keep an eye on them.

3. I do not own an incubator, so I don't have the option to move the egg to a more controlled environment. Should I get one, or is the broody hen still the best option in this case? Although the broody is aggressive to the other birds, she's totally fine with me and will let me handle her and even pick her up to peek at the eggs. What other tools should I have on hand?

Thanks in advance for all any help or advice you can offer!

 

[Amiga]

@Lacrystol @madamiec @WVduckchick

I am trying to get the attention of a few of the hatchers here.

 

[madamiec]

The broody mom will do a better job....just let her do her thing. When you get close to hatch date you can candle every day to track the egg progress. When there is a duck in the air sack you can make a pin prick in the large end of the egg air sack if it makes you feel better. Moms don't usually help but sometimes the other ducklings/chicks will pick at a pip hole. You will be lucky to get one far enough along to internally pip and it's just hard to get two babies to pip and zip but it can happen. Sometimes they each take an end and one will pop out first giving the other room to push out too. Leaving the egg with mom will have a better chance of getting a nice, dry membrane to pip either end without issues and no need for help. Just a note...the yolk is what is absorbed by the duckling as food when hatching...not what develops into a duckling.

 

[WVduckchick]

Oh boy that's a tough thing. Keeping in mind its Helens egg makes it even more touching.
I have no experience with a broody, but my initial thinking is for you to research and make yourself a hatcher, for the final days, just in case the hen won't sit long enough or something goes wrong and you need to intervene. Folks have hatched in as little as a Pyrex dish covered with saran wrap under a heat lamp! With a little prep work, since you have time, you should be able to come up with something that will work. Basically a plan B.
Having said that, I think I would ride it out with your broody and see how she does, as long as she will do it. Good luck! I'll be anxious to see how this turns out.

 

[Lacrystol]

@Lacrystol @madamiec @WVduckchick

I am trying to get the attention of a few of the hatchers here.

I'm here let me read up.

 

[Lacrystol]

Where are we with this???

 

[Lacrystol]

First time mommies are the worst I would be prepared. They usually give up right towArds the end because they get impatient.

YES some momma ducks will help there youngs. I know I've seen it. I hatch call ducks and I'm asked over and over why do you have to help them when they are in the wild no one is there to help. And that's not necessary true Momma ducks will start eating and pealing off the shell when there's a problem. I know because I have seen my momma duck do this for her babies.

Double Yolkers are a challenge first they hatch much earlier then others so timing it is difficult. If they can make it up to the last week you have a chance. They would need to be assisted though.