Floated incubated eggs, egg sank but moved

[Cookenfisch]

Hi
I have incubated a dozen home laid duck eggs, I had the humidity at 55%, took down weights butthe most weight they lost was about 9%. Figured this out too late to make much difference and the air sacs were pretty small. Candling showed movement in all eggs at day 22, most appeared ok at lock down. One pipped on due date but failed to hatch. Follow up on day 29 showed membrane was stuck over the top of beak and the yolk sac was still very big. I floated the remaining eggs after candling. 3 Floated, The rest sank. But one of the sinkers appeared to move. I dried it and replaced it in the incubator. What I am wondering is, could the sinker actually be a live duckling, and if so wgy didnt it float and should I intervene? This is my first time incubating eggs and I dont want to risk killing a duckling if it is possibly alive. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. The chicks that were incubated at the same time hatched fine and their air sacs were small too, but they are different animals afterall.

 

[Cookenfisch]

Just updating. I carefully opened one of the assumed dud eggs. The duckling was nearly fully developed, head nearly under wing, but large yolk sac and dead. Did gently open the next one after candling, membrane thick but well receeded and no movement or smell. Gnetley opened the membrane and to my horror the duckling moved......most likely not viable, and certainly not now, but why do the eggs sink with good air sacs and live ducklings? These eggs had started to turn black also. Are most eggs that sink destined to die anyway????? Horrible but learning the hard way....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just updating. I carefully opened one of the assumed dud eggs. The duckling was nearly fully developed, head nearly under wing, but large yolk sac and dead. Did gently open the next one after candling, membrane thick but well receeded and no movement or smell. Gnetley opened the membrane and to my horror the duckling moved......most likely not viable, and certainly not now, but why do the eggs sink with good air sacs and live ducklings? These eggs had started to turn black also. Are most eggs that sink destined to die anyway????? Horrible but learning the hard way....

Hi and sorry about the ducklings, i don't hatch i let my ducks take care of that part, but Lacrystol is very experienced and if you PM'd her I think she could answer your questions.

 

[Cookenfisch]

Thanks will do....the rrest still in the incubator, two days over due, no internal or external pipping, not sure how long to leave them before calling it quits....

 

[Lacrystol]

OK question, what is the humidity at while your in lockdown? What is your temp at? Do you have a fan or NO fan??

 

[Lacrystol]

What kind of ducks? Have you made a safe HOLE?? You will lose them all if you don't exspecially being two days late.

 

[FrancesR]

OK I'm interested in what you mean by safe hole. I tried incubating my cayuga's eggs this summer. Two of the eggs started rocking on time, the 'bator went into lockdown and they stopped moving at all. I lost at least two babies, so what's a safe hole and when you do do that? Also,does the humidity and temperature need to change for the last couple of days? I added more water to increase humidity, but did nothing to the temps. I really hate to lose babies at the very last like that, so I'm reluctant to try again unless I know what I should be doing differently than the incubator instructions (it's a little 7 egg domed affair.) Thanks.

 

[Lacrystol]

What is the temp and humidity at when you lock them down? And is there a fan??

 

[Lacrystol]

The day before hatching day they stop moving but your case sounds like there's another problem going on.

A safe hole is a tiny hole at the air cell no bigger then the tip of a pen. You see they have enough air to last about 24 hours after internally pipped. If they aren't externally peeping with in the 24 hours then you make them a safe hole so that they don't run out of air and give. Them more time to escape otherwise they basically suffocate.


Now your temp should be around 100 with a fan and 101 to 102 without a fan

Your humidity should be at 20 to 30 and the eggs should be sprayed daily before lockdown There's more information on my website www.lwbarnhouse.com click on the duck tab I have two methods that I have used for call ducks and been very successful. This works for other ducks as well.

Now for lockdown your humidity should be around 60 to 70 no higher then 80. 80 will kill them.

If you have any more questions let me know.

 

[Lacrystol]

Hate to say this but there's not going to be much luck with the slow responses, Please refer to my website if you want to try again.