Duck egg candling ? Help?!

[Chicken poppy]

I was thinking there wasnt enough visible veining but i was hoping it may have just been the quality of the videos! This poor lady has been having issues with her broody ducks eggs not making it to hatch and her duck has been sitting for 4 weeks now, the first batch of eggs that didnt make it were from her duck its self, and this 2nd batch was from a different local source. From what ive seen and heard the duck hasnt been abandoning the eggs at all or anything along those lines, so im wondering if anyone might have any ideas to why this particular ducks eggs keep quitting on her even when they have come from all different sources ?

If she hasn’t had a break i would *personally* break her. Just because by the time an egg would hatch, she basically would have already hatched a clutch. Its just a long time to be on a nest.

Not sure why the eggs are like that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I agree there should be visible signs of veins by now. So sorry.
I also agree with getting her off the nest and destroying the nest. I usually have to place something over the nest for a few days so she won't go back to it even after taking the eggs and messing up the nest.

 

[Excitednewbie]

Thanks all before the duck was given these eggs i tried explaining that it would be best to break her broodyness now because shes already been sitting longer then the time it takes to incubate a clutch, but the duck keeps going and making new nests any where and every where if the current nest gets destroyed (this is why broody jail exists to stop her making new nests, isnt it?!) And her human mother is convinced that her duck will die from being broody and not hatching any ducklings because she is a lone duck at the moment, her plans were to hatch eggs to help the broodyness and to make her not be on her own anymore. I have offered as much advice as i can, i can lead a horse to water but i cant make it drink - so now i am just trying to help and support them the best i can with what ever they decide to do

 

[Miss Lydia]

Why not suggest she look on craigslist or here on BYC at rehoming forum for ducks for her lone duck.
Ducks can die from brooding long and not taking care of themselves. Breaking them sure isn't an over night thing believe me I have Muscovy and they are hard to break but I don't give up I just keep destroying the nests and blocking them from going back . Eventually they do break.

 

[Excitednewbie]

Why not suggest she look on craigslist or here on BYC at rehoming forum for ducks for her lone duck.
Ducks can die from brooding long and not taking care of themselves. Breaking them sure isn't an over night thing believe me I have Muscovy and they are hard to break but I don't give up I just keep destroying the nests and blocking them from going back . Eventually they do break.

When i first started talking to her ( she is a complete stranger to me, an older lady that cried out for help from her community) i suggested possibly looking for a new home for her duck or looking for another female duck to be a companion for hers. If only i had another duck i could give her!! She doesnt want to even play with the idea of rehoming her girl - the duck has become her replacement for her children and is her only companion. I have suggested to her again to look for another duck to add, and have re explained that being broody for too long is not good for the ducks health. I my self currently have a broody chicken that i am breaking! Shes a cheeky one and keeps finding a way into everyone elses nesting boxes even when they are blocked off or if she cant find a way into a box she goes an starts trying to nest any where on the ground, she doesnt care where i think i will have to contain her to a small area so i can manage her better

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you have your work cut out for ya. I hope you can help her see what she needs to do, ducks are flock animals maybe she'll change her mind and at least look for another friend for her duck, Oh and did she buy fertile eggs?

 

[Excitednewbie]

Haha yeah im trying my best the first lot of eggs that her duck sat on that died were eggs that were laid by her duck itself (she did have 2 drakes previously but rehomed them both recently because of the damage they were doing to each other and the girl) and the eggs in the videos i posted were bought from a different source

 

[Chicken poppy]

I agree there should be visible signs of veins by now. So sorry.
I also agree with getting her off the nest and destroying the nest. I usually have to place something over the nest for a few days so she won't go back to it even after taking the eggs and messing up the nest.

I agree, I had a broody hen so determined even after completely demolishing the nest she still went broody on it.

She didn’t stop even after covering it (though they usually do) so i had to use the ice water bottle trick and she stopped.

 

[Excitednewbie]

My broody hen decided to set up shop in the goose house! And she was willing to endure 3 geese getting cranky and picking on her !!!! Needless to say i couldnt leave that be so she has now been contained to the broody chook jail cage! What is the longest amount of time it has taken you guys to break a broody ?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've never used a broody break cage. With my chickens I just usually let it run its course. My Muscovy will brood all spring into fall if I don't try and break them. And that takes a while.
As long as my hens are coming out to eat drink and dust bathe I usually don't mess with them unless they are still at it 30 days then they get kicked out of the nest and I lock them out of the coop where the nest boxes are. I have a Speckled Sussex who last year went out of the fence and made her nest 2X she did it. I found one [these eggs aren't fertile my rooster is 13 yrs old]. Next time I never found her nest but I locked her in the coop for about 4 days and she got over it then thankfully she went into molt but no telling what she'll be like this year