Egg Candling! Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices.

[Terrireddish]

I would like to tell you my experience of hatching out abandon duck eggs from my Momma domestic Mallard duck. One duckling had hatched out over a week before. It was a Mallard. She was sitting on both Mallard and Rouen eggs. Drake Daddy killed that baby so I separated her from all of the other ducks. This upset her however and she eventually left the nest and just quacked running back and forth wanting to join the flock. I had no idea how far along the eggs were. They were cold to the touch and had not been sat on for at least 12 hours in low 50 degree weather. I made a homemade incubator. A reading light from my bedside with a 40 watt bulb attached to a small styrofoam cooler, two small towels in the bottom, a $2.00 thermometer, a coffee cup full of warm water. I turned the eggs 7 times a day. I watched the thermometer to make sure it was near 100 degrees and low and behold a week later I got a baby duck! Now another one is trying to hatch out and I had 6 eggs I had taken from the Rouen nest as I wanted Rouen babies. Daddy is a Mallard and one side of its face has two stripes and the other one stripe. I am hoping for a hen and it is doing just fine, eating and drinking just six hours after hatching and in the brooder. I am sure the experts will tell you I did everything wrong but it worked out right. Another one is trying to hatch and the eggs I took from the nest are developing. Good luck if you decide to try this method, It surely is working for me.

I’m so glad it’s working for you as I’m in a similar situation and had to make a quick home made incubator with a cardboard box lined with aluminium tape on sides,put a small bowl of water in and heat light above it,I put a towel down then thermometer then 3 Indian runner duck eggs that was under a bantam hen for 2 weeks before she decided to leave them,and I also put in 20 fresh eggs as well,2 out of the 3 are due to hatch on 13th may,and we have 5 of the 10 due on 28th may so I’m hopeful now hearing your story

 

[Kellyjenny]

Wow you guys are great.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

In a white egg you can sometimes see development as early as day 2 but almost definitely by day 3 if you have a bright candler.

I didn't really see much today, only a redish-orange spot in each of them.
Might have been the yolk but I'm not sure. Just going to wait until nearer to the end

 

[Kellyjenny]

Ok everyone talks about this breed and that breed. But what is this he's a mix don't ask me what hen I have know idea but the father Is a cross Americana and he's bad to the bone. But this one he's such a sweetheart does anybody have an idea. Cuz I want to say this is my leghorn or this is my bantam or this is something something.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

The developing embryos can now be seen with the naked eye if you have a bright enough light. Made easier to see in pictures by changing the color to black and white.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

Nature is SO amazing you know.. to have created parts of the living chick in such a short amount of time. Never ceases to amaze and awe!!

And to go from Egg to chick in a short 21 days...

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Nature is SO amazing you know.. to have created parts of the living chick in such a short amount of time. Never ceases to amaze and awe!!

And to go from Egg to chick in a short 21 days...

It really is incredible!

 

[Everose]

@CluckNDoodle is it normal for eggs (duck eggs) to develope at different rates or even to appear different from the rest but be fine?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

@CluckNDoodle is it normal for eggs (duck eggs) to develope at different rates or even to appear different from the rest but be fine?

Sometimes they appear to be a little different but visibility is just different with each egg. Now if it's significant, like one looks like day 7 and another day 15, then I would say something is up. Does the egg in question still have visible veins? Movement?

 

[Kellyjenny]

Can you see it?