gah duck egg candling, I can't tell??

[Ducklove334]

Ok so, I candled little eggbert, as its affectionatly called, this evening xD

the egg is on day 6 of incubation, I know by day 7 you should see viens, but sometimes you can see somthing sooner.

keep in mind, that the only other fertiel duck eggs i've candled was white pekin eggs, and that was some years ago. this is a dark tinted blue mallard egg.

I see what looks like a dark mass in the middle, but i don't SEE any viens, and don't see the air sack either??

theres no way I'm opening it O_O I learned the hard way that curiosity kills the week old duckling embryo O_-..eh heh.

I'm thinking of taking one of the other mallard eggs tomorrow that is in a nest and hasn't been incubated, so should be clear, like a chicken egg right??, and comparing them, but what does it sound like to y'all??

 

[Wifezilla]

Sounds logical.

Do you think a stronger flashlight would help?

 

[Ducklove334]

all we really have around the house are those big flood light type flashlights, the big ones with the handles.

the one only little flashlight we have SUCKS, the big ones work for me, cause I can see right through a storebought chicken egg. the one I used is pretty good. either tomorrow morning, but most likely evening I will try comparing two eggs, and i may take a picture to post on here.

 

[Ducklove334]

I compared Eggbert to a freshly(and I mean FRESHLY) laid egg, it was still warm xD. when candled with the same flashlight, I could see through the fresh egg, I clearly saw the yolk, airsack, ect. but with eggbert, there is a big black mass that doesn't move.

 

[Ducklove334]

I wieghed the egg again this morning, it's LOST wieght

, two grams from the other day when it wieghed 45 grams, it now wieghs 43, but it "feels" heavier, if that makes any sense, it doesn't stink, it's not leaking, I'm at a lost, I had my days mixed up the other day, and today is day 8.


if it isn't fertile, when will it start to stink??

I'm really hoping for a lil baby ducklet to love and squeeze

 

[Wifezilla]

There was a chicken thread that showed the different stages of candling.....did you ever check that out?

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

I heard they won't blow up until day 14 so that's when you should toss any that are funky...if it has something in it, i'd leave it be for a few more days...

Also do you have an old bucket you could cut a hole in? then you could put one of those huge lights in it and candle...just don't cook the egg

 

[pax12]

check this out

day 1 to 21 duck eggs

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

If you plan to do a lot of hatching, or a modest amount for that manner. I would look into getting a true EGG CANDLEING LIGHT, and let the ol flash light go. They are much better at this than the flash lights as they have a stronger more compact light that will go right threw most egg shells, and you dont have to spend too much on them either, I think I spent about $20 on mine and have had it for 15 years or better, still on the same bulb too!.
Any of the major hatcheries will have them, or I am sure you can get them at your hardware store or the auction sites.
If the black area is not filling the shell by day 14, I'd advise getting rid of it.
If it has a dark spot and is looseing weight, it's most likely fertile, but it's hard to tell without seeing it for myself.
Also, with a good light, you will be able to see the little"spider" at day 4! I call it a spider, cause at day 4 that's what it looks like, a little red spider.
Anyway, good luck with it,
Aubrey

 

[Ducklove334]

I am going to give it 4 or 5 more days, I'm thinking of setting a few more eggs either today or tomorrow..dunno if I will yet or not.