duck egg turning blue. . . .under broody duck

[70%cocoa]

Well it's just wonderful news that you have a little duckling. How incredibly exciting!! Even if that's the only one that hatches (hopefully there will be more though!) s/he will be absolutely fine being an only child with his mum for company.

I also doubt that the Muscovy is the mother. Is the duckling an even, bright yellow all over, or is there a darker, brownish tinge to the down? Bright yellow = Pekin mother. Anything other than solid yellow and the Campbell is the mother. But whoever the mum is - that duckling is gorgeous!! Congratulations!!

 

[chicks4fun]

Well it's just wonderful news that you have a little duckling. How incredibly exciting!! Even if that's the only one that hatches (hopefully there will be more though!) s/he will be absolutely fine being an only child with his mum for company.
I also doubt that the Muscovy is the mother. Is the duckling an even, bright yellow all over, or is there a darker, brownish tinge to the down? Bright yellow = Pekin mother. Anything other than solid yellow and the Campbell is the mother. But whoever the mum is - that duckling is gorgeous!! Congratulations!!

I am thinking she is all Pekin
(the only thing is that her mother, if I remember correctly, had brighter yellow bill & legs.)
so far no signs of any pips or zips

 

[PetesMom]

I'm thinking all pekin! Sooo adorable!

 

[70%cocoa]

I'm thinking Pekin too. But the pink bill is interesting. One possibility is that your Campbell is carrying one dose of Recessive White and the duckling has got that gene (and another one from the father) and has turned out white too. Will have a look in Storey's guide later to check on bill colour inheritance.

Congratulations again on your beautiful new baby!

I was also going to mention that it's important to have shallow water containers - deep containers can pose a drowning risk to ducklings as they can get in but not out. Give the mother duck a deeper container under supervision, a couple of times a day, so she can wash her face. But other than that keep it shallow. Just saying that just in case!

 

[twinmama]

Adorable pic! I have 2 Pekins. My drake's bill was pink when he was a baby, which is why my 3 yr old daughter named him "Pink". Once we figured out he's a boy, it was too late to change his name. His bill is now more of a faded yellow with a slight pink cast to it. My other Pekin's bill is bright orange, and I have no idea what the difference is.

 

[chicks4fun]

Adorable pic! I have 2 Pekins. My drake's bill was pink when he was a baby, which is why my 3 yr old daughter named him "Pink". Once we figured out he's a boy, it was too late to change his name. His bill is now more of a faded yellow with a slight pink cast to it. My other Pekin's bill is bright orange, and I have no idea what the difference is.

That is interesting about the bill. Funny about the name. I am just so happy to have a duckling. She still has two eggs but each day goes by I am getting less hopeful.

 

[chicks4fun]

I'm thinking Pekin too. But the pink bill is interesting. One possibility is that your Campbell is carrying one dose of Recessive White and the duckling has got that gene (and another one from the father) and has turned out white too. Will have a look in Storey's guide later to check on bill colour inheritance.
Congratulations again on your beautiful new baby!
I was also going to mention that it's important to have shallow water containers - deep containers can pose a drowning risk to ducklings as they can get in but not out. Give the mother duck a deeper container under supervision, a couple of times a day, so she can wash her face. But other than that keep it shallow. Just saying that just in case!

Thanks for the advice. I am very torn on what to do about mommy ducks water. She doesn't want to come out of her space and leave her baby. I put a large bowl (the one she has been using since she started with eggs) right outside her door. I even go as far away as I can and still keep an eye on the bowl but so far she hasn't come to it. With all this heat I am extra worried about her. I don't want to force her out. I also fear leaving it where the baby can fall in.
What should I do? If I make her leave her baby and come out then I risk really getting her upset (if she's really upset she won't drink anyway)? Or just keep leaving it there for her just in case? She is becoming a full time job--LOL, but I am so happy about this duckling that I'm ok with it.

 

[chicks4fun]

Adorable pic! I have 2 Pekins. My drake's bill was pink when he was a baby, which is why my 3 yr old daughter named him "Pink". Once we figured out he's a boy, it was too late to change his name. His bill is now more of a faded yellow with a slight pink cast to it. My other Pekin's bill is bright orange, and I have no idea what the difference is.

I only had female Pekins---Is the pink bill anything to do with it being male? Oh I do hope he's a she.

 

[70%cocoa]

Don't worry - she will stay sitting for about 48 hours after the first hatch, or until she is happy that the hatch is over. Don't try to make her get up - let her do it in her own time. Can you take away the big waterer and put a small dish of cool water right next to her? What I do is I put a small chick waterer right next to a broody during a hatch. She will still be able to drink from that, and so will the duckling when it is ready, without any risk to the duckling.

Have had a read about bill colour The pink bill doesn't have anything to do with sex - whether a yellow duckling will grow up to have a pink or orange bill is genetic, like feather colour, but not related to being male or female. A duck will have a yellow bill if it has two copies of a gene that allows yellow pigment (carotene, which comes from food that the duck eats) to be laid down in the outer later of skin on the bill. If it does not have those genes, the outer layer of skin will stay pink. If your duckling develops a yellow bill as it grows (especially as it starts to eat things with carotene in them like grass and other greens) then it has inherited the yellow bill gene from both parents and I'd say that both parents were Pekins. It is always possible that your Khaki Campbell is carrying both a white recessive gene and the yellow bill gene, which would also give a white duck with a yellow bill - but that is a much less likely explanation than the explanation that both parents are Pekins.

So, my money is still on Pekins for Mum and Dad!

 

[chicks4fun]

Don't worry - she will stay sitting for about 48 hours after the first hatch, or until she is happy that the hatch is over. Don't try to make her get up - let her do it in her own time. Can you take away the big waterer and put a small dish of cool water right next to her? What I do is I put a small chick waterer right next to a broody during a hatch. She will still be able to drink from that, and so will the duckling when it is ready, without any risk to the duckling.

Have had a read about bill colour The pink bill doesn't have anything to do with sex - whether a yellow duckling will grow up to have a pink or orange bill is genetic, like feather colour, but not related to being male or female. A duck will have a yellow bill if it has two copies of a gene that allows yellow pigment (carotene, which comes from food that the duck eats) to be laid down in the outer later of skin on the bill. If it does not have those genes, the outer layer of skin will stay pink. If your duckling develops a yellow bill as it grows (especially as it starts to eat things with carotene in them like grass and other greens) then it has inherited the yellow bill gene from both parents and I'd say that both parents were Pekins. It is always possible that your Khaki Campbell is carrying both a white recessive gene and the yellow bill gene, which would also give a white duck with a yellow bill - but that is a much less likely explanation than the explanation that both parents are Pekins.

So, my money is still on Pekins for Mum and Dad!

I do have a smaller bowl in the cage with them next to the food. I don't think she can clear her nostrils but someone has been messing it up. I assume she is teaching the chick to eat. I've not seen it yet. This waiting on these eggs is killing me. Each morning I hope to see a sign but nothing. Well, there is this adorable little fluffy thing playing around her mommy