First-Timer

[Miss Lydia]

Looks like you have some ducklings growing. Last egg pic see veins?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good WV wasn't sure on the last egg pic.

 

[littlecollier]

Thank you @Miss Lydia and @WVduckchick for the nod of approval! Having only read forums, books and random internet pages, I was worried I might not be doing everything correctly.

I guess all I can do now is wait, wait, wait!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Time spent getting layette ready

 

[WVduckchick]

Good WV wasn't sure on the last egg pic.

Faint, but the dark area looks like growth. Candling pics are tough. lol

 

[littlecollier]

@WVduckchick Sorry, meant to address your question about the hen. The couple I got the eggs from said the hen was broody and spent most of Thursday-Sunday on top of the eggs, though by the end three big duck eggs were a bit of a struggle for her tiny chicken body. Since I wasn't there, I'm not totally sure.

I was curious though, since (while its hard to tell in photos) the three eggs seem to be developing a little differently and it appears to coincide with the date they were laid (i.e. the oldest egg seems further along than the egg laid on Saturday). But maybe it's just wishful thinking (since I really don't want them to hatch while I'm away at work!).

My sweet partner was so excited that he jumped the gun and put them in the 'bator on Sunday as a surprise before I returned home from being out of town. I had planned on setting everything on Thursday so that I could attempt to control the timing to a weekend, but I guess the universe had different plans.

 

[WVduckchick]

@WVduckchick Sorry, meant to address your question about the hen. The couple I got the eggs from said the hen was broody and spent most of Thursday-Sunday on top of the eggs, though by the end three big duck eggs were a bit of a struggle for her tiny chicken body. Since I wasn't there, I'm not totally sure.

I was curious though, since (while its hard to tell in photos) the three eggs seem to be developing a little differently and it appears to coincide with the date they were laid (i.e. the oldest egg seems further along than the egg laid on Saturday). But maybe it's just wishful thinking (since I really don't want them to hatch while I'm away at work!).

My sweet partner was so excited that he jumped the gun and put them in the 'bator on Sunday as a surprise before I returned home from being out of town. I had planned on setting everything on Thursday so that I could attempt to control the timing to a weekend, but I guess the universe had different plans.

Shame on me, I believe you mentioned that.
Development could very well coincide with the laid date then, especially if a chicken was laying on them. Chickens and ducks brood differently, so that makes sense.
3 days won't hurt much though, I would predict hatch to start from the Thursday egg, and remember it may very well go 3 days. I'd increase the humidity when the Thursday egg gets to day 26ish, delaying it one day, and being a day or so early for the later eggs. Should be all fine and dandy!

 

[littlecollier]

Great! Thank you so much for your insight @WVduckchick ... It's so helpful.

One last question, if I'm predicting off the Thursday egg, are we still using Sunday as the set date (so Monday as "day 1")? Meaning your estimate of being on "day 11" is what I should use?

All these dates and days and eggs have my head spinning a bit!

 

[WVduckchick]

Great! Thank you so much for your insight @WVduckchick ... It's so helpful.

One last question, if I'm predicting off the Thursday egg, are we still using Sunday as the set date (so Monday as "day 1")? Meaning your estimate of being on "day 11" is what I should use?

All these dates and days and eggs have my head spinning a bit!

If you think the first egg was laid on Thursday, and the hen was sitting on it, personally I would call Friday day 1. If you don't think she was covering them consistently, you could call Saturday day 1. So today would be 12-13? Hatching in 28 days is just a guideline too.

 

[littlecollier]

I guess it's like anything else ... Nature sticks to some plans but not all of them. I'll keep a good eye on them in the 'bator and we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm so excited!