Fertile duck eggs not developing

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

These eggs have been in the incubator since 11/8 and 11/9. Why are they not developing? I have chicken eggs that are developing in the same incubator. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[NatJ]

These eggs have been in the incubator since 11/8 and 11/9. Why are they not developing? I have chicken eggs that are developing in the same incubator. Any ideas?

If the chicken eggs are developing in the same incubator at the same time, the incubator conditions should be right. So that means something is wrong with the duck eggs.

I think there are only two options: either they are not fertile (regardless of how they look), or something went wrong between when they were laid and when they went in the incubator.

Were the eggs from your own flock or from someone else's flock?

Shipping eggs through the mail can be hard on them, and make them less likely to hatch.

Storing eggs for more than a week before putting them in the incubator can make them less likely to hatch. Storing them for more than about 3 weeks makes them almost certain to not hatch.

Storing eggs at a temperature that is too warm or too cold can make them not hatch. Too cold can kill the embryo. Too warm can make them start developing and then stop and die (probably not for the eggs in the photo.) For in-between temperatures, the warmer they are, the less time they can be stored (the eggs get "too old" sooner if they are stored in warmer temperatures.)

And even if the eggs look fertile (bullseye spot on the yolk), I would still double-check whether there could be a fertility problem. Make sure there is a male in the flock, and that he is mating with the females. If anyone else has tried hatching eggs from the same flock, see if their eggs developed.

 

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

They are mine. I have seen them mating but they normally are cold when I get them from the coop because they don't sit on them.

 

[NatJ]

They are mine. I have seen them mating but they normally are cold when I get them from the coop because they don't sit on them.

Eggs can usually be stored for a week or so, at temperatures between about 40 and 80 degrees fahrenheit, and have a good hatch rate. Some people have even had good hatch rates with eggs that spent time in a refrigerator.

Do you store the duck eggs and the chicken eggs the same way before you put them in the incubator?

Is there only one drake in the flock, or are there multiple drakes?

I am now thoroughly puzzled. It sounds like you've covered all the points I can easily think of, so I don't see why the duck eggs would have trouble when the chicken eggs do not.

 

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

There is 1 drake and 3 females I collect everyday and put right in the incubator

 

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

They're all 6 months old.

 

[NatJ]

There is 1 drake and 3 females I collect everyday and put right in the incubator

They're all 6 months old.

If you are collecting the eggs every day and putting them in the incubator, there are no storage or shipping issues to worry about. And if the incubator is doing fine for chicken eggs, the incubator itself should be fine. So I think it comes down to something about the drake, unless it is something about all three hens or about the time between egg laying and egg collecting (but I don't see why that would affect the ducks while skipping the chickens).

So I would seriously suspect a problem with the drake. He may be infertile, or not mating properly, or maybe he just needs to get a bit older before he will be able to make it work. I don't know enough about ducks to be sure. @Miss Lydia do you have any ideas about this situation?

 

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How long have your females been laying? Could be if they just started mating and laying it just might take a bit more time.

 

[Dehliaalyssa2488]

How long have your females been laying? Could be if they just started mating and laying it just might take a bit more time.

About 1 month mating a couple weeks.