Egg confusion

[bobshammy]

Just found out from the lady I got my eggs from that some might be duck eggs! I am on day 18 and all set for lockdown..for a chicken anyway. Can I tell the difference candling them? Will it hurt any duck eggs to go into lockdown so early? I dont know what to do! If they dont hatch on day 21 should I give them another week??

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi
Glad you joined the flock. With putting the eggs into lockdown it's not so much the humidity that will bother your duck eggs for three days let's say. Its the turning that will be more of a problem. If not turned they could become stuck in the shell. It's a catch 22 situation you need to turn the duck eggs but need to keep the incubator closed for the hatching chicks. Or if you have a turner you need to take it out so that hatched chicks don't get stuck.
I think if it were me in this situation I would continue with the lockdown see what hatches then candle any remaining eggs to see what is going off in them.
The chicken eggs should be looking quite full now where as the duck eggs will not be filling the egg quite so much so you maybe be able to tell the difference when you candle.

 

[bobshammy]

Thanks! When I candled last night day seventeen they were super full. Black almost all the way up to the air sack. Wiggling around like crazy! Hopefully that means chickens?? Fingers crossed. Wouldnt know what to do with a duck and dont want to wait another week!