Duck Egg Day 20 Blood Clots

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I was a little worried about this duck egg when I candled it today. It's on day 20. It looks like it has some blood clots or some dark spots, one of which was floating around. It has defined veins and it looked like it was moving with a heartbeat rhythm, so I think it is alive. Is it possibly dying? This is my first time incubating.

 

[nchls school]

Can you show a picture of the egg being candled from the side so that the air cell is on one end? I suspect the egg has died and you're seeing the gases caused by decomposition causing the movement/floating.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

If it has active veins - which it appears to, from the photos - it should still be alive.

 

[nchls school]

A side view photo will show the veins and air cell membranes better. By day 20 there shouldn't be anything floating around.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

Can you show a picture of the egg being candled from the side so that the air cell is on one end? I suspect the egg has died and you're seeing the gases caused by decomposition causing the movement/floating.

Sure, I will get a picture of it.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

Now that I candled it from that angle, it looks like I'm seeing a blood ring

 

[nchls school]

In the picture the border between the air cell and embryo is not distinct showing the membrane is breaking down. The embryo has died. Candle again to look for the distinctive line; if not there discard the egg before it bursts possibly ruining other eggs. You can compare it to other eggs that are day 20-they should all look the about the same.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

In the picture the border between the air cell and embryo is not distinct showing the membrane is breaking down. The embryo has died. Candle again to look for the distinctive line; if not there discard the egg before it bursts possibly ruining other eggs. You can compare it to other eggs that are day 20-they should all look the about the same.

It's my only egg, the others were not fertile. I was trying to find someone else with ducklings to keep it company when it hatched. I candled it again this morning and it was moving a lot inside but looked even cloudier. I guess I'll bury it and set some more. Thank you for the help!
Is there something specific that could have caused it to die this late that I can avoid for next time?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Looks like normal wastes. I see this with chicken eggs all the time.

 

[nchls school]

It's my only egg, the others were not fertile. I was trying to find someone else with ducklings to keep it company when it hatched. I candled it again this morning and it was moving a lot inside but looked even cloudier. I guess I'll bury it and set some more. Thank you for the help!
Is there something specific that could have caused it to die this late that I can avoid for next time?

Check your thermometer to make sure the temperature is correct. If it is reading right then the embryo was weak or defective. It happens. I had a single call duck egg in my incubator which died yesterday. I know my incubator did not malfunction. It happens just as some human pregnancies end in miscarriage; sad but it happens. Try again and if this is something new to you, reread about how to use your incubator and look at egg development charts, found online, so you know what to expect. Sorry and good luck with your next eggs.

What kind of incubator do you have? Does it keep a stable, unchanging temperature? Mine keeps a temperature to within 2/10ths of a degree; 1/10th of a degree above and below the desired temp. Does yours have an automatic turner or do you turn manually? Mine has a turner, but I prefer to turn the eggs by hand three times a day.