Eggs still fertile?

[chickychack]

Hey guys!

So my two Pekins Donald and Daphne

decided they wanted to be parents (hopefully). I just found the nest and where Daphne's been hiding all this time! I'm not sure if the eggs are still alive because Daphne left her nest during the day a few times to go swimming for hours on end, and I'm not really an expert in candling

. I can post pics if anyone else is!

Also, the duck on the left in the above picture (Daphne) has a weird brown spot on her bill. I've tried cleaning it off but it doesn't budge, any suggestions?

 

[Kevin565]

1. I love the names!
2. Welcome to BYC!
3. I believe candling would be your best bet at this point. Pekins have been known to start brooding then quite halfway through. Would you be interested in trying to incubate them yourself?
4. Her beak looks normal to me. Beak color change isn't unheard of.

 

[chickychack]

Thank you haha! She still seems to be sitting on them a lot more now... I just went out to candle a few and they all pretty much looked like this? Are they duds ?

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

I can't tell from the pic. How long has she been kind of sitting? She may have been collecting enough to brood. How long has she been sitting full time? I usually can't tell till day five.

 

[chickychack]

@DUCKOBSESSED These are rough estimates but she left the nest I'd say for about 4/5 hours if that two days in a row then resumed sitting. Before she started leaving she was MIA for about 4/5 days and it's been about a week and a half since she left the nest for awhile. So 2.5/3 weeks the nest has been there I'd say

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

Ok my broody waited until she thought she had enough but sat a little to keep them from getting to cold, but not warm enough to start developing. What temps do you have? I believe that also determines how long they leave for. She will leave everyday to eat, drink, poo and swim.

 

[chickychack]

@DUCKOBSESSED (do I need to keep tagging you? Sorry a bit new) the temps around here are starting to warm up. High 50's in the morning and gets up to high 60's sometimes low 70's

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

You don't need to tag me because i am subscribed to this thread. Thats ok it took me forever to learn the site! I would let her sit for another 5 or so days, Then candle again and post pics. At this point all you can do is wait. Good luck.

 

[chickychack]

This is a very bad pic

but the best I could manage without daphne trying to bite off my finger! Haha, they are definitely fertile and doing well, I can see tons of veins and something moving inside so thumbs up! Now it's just a waiting game, is there anyway to tell how much is left?

 

[Bryam]

They should hatch soon then!