Hatching Muscovy Twins Advice??

[LuckyDuckie2287]

Hello everyone!!

I posted in a different area and was advised to try here.

I've never hatched a thing in my life and am a total newbie at this.

I currently have 5 eggs growing in my incubator (from my sweet lavender hen that was killed). I candled last night at the end of day 16 to discover we have a twin egg!!! Two babies kicking and moving around in one egg!

I've been reading these threads here religiously from the start of this incubation process and have learned so much (which is how they are even growing at all) and I am desperate for advice to successfully hatch these twins! I've only been reading that its rare and that I will need to assist them and to set up a separate incubator for my twin egg.

Now, I've read about assisted hatching and think I've got a pretty good grasp of how...but as these as twins, I have additional questions I'm hoping someone can help me with..

When should I start helping them hatch (assuming they make it that far)? Will they be ready sooner than the other eggs (similar to human babies- cramped,etc)? Which end do I start with? The air sack end, or the upside-downer? I want to do everything I can to help these babes.

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[AlishaRichard]

Hello everyone!!

I posted in a different area and was advised to try here.

I've never hatched a thing in my life and am a total newbie at this.

I currently have 5 eggs growing in my incubator (from my sweet lavender hen that was killed). I candled last night at the end of day 16 to discover we have a twin egg!!! Two babies kicking and moving around in one egg!

I've been reading these threads here religiously from the start of this incubation process and have learned so much (which is how they are even growing at all) and I am desperate for advice to successfully hatch these twins! I've only been reading that its rare and that I will need to assist them and to set up a separate incubator for my twin egg.

Now, I've read about assisted hatching and think I've got a pretty good grasp of how...but as these as twins, I have additional questions I'm hoping someone can help me with..

When should I start helping them hatch (assuming they make it that far)? Will they be ready sooner than the other eggs (similar to human babies- cramped,etc)? Which end do I start with? The air sack end, or the upside-downer? I want to do everything I can to help these babes.

Thanks so much in advance!

I can't help much. However, I have hatched twin Muscovy ducks. They hatched a day early and all on their own. They only needed help after hatch bc of their smaller size. I had to feed the a lot and encourage them to eat. I added vitamins to their water. They are happy and healthy adults now and both lay double yokers.

 

[LuckyDuckie2287]

That is excellent to hear!!! It def gives me hope for my twins then!

(Everything I've read has been rather discouraging, unfortunately).

What vitamins did you feed yours? And I can certainly invest in more sterile syringes to slowly feed starter mush and enhanced water through!

I'm going to be setting up a second incubator end of this week to give them their own space, incase they hatch early or I need to help (which I'm assuming to be the case).

The egg looks about the size as all the rest, so I'm hoping that they can make it. I'd feel better if it was significantly larger. I had no idea they were a double yolker, honestly. I've watched tons of candling videos, but it's different when you're doing it yourself without having experience before.

I'm planning to candle them every 3rd day to check development vs the once a week with the other eggs. I'm also worried about contaminating them though (I scrub my hands so much before touching the eggs that my hands are dry and raw now ).

 

[AlishaRichard]

I just use Sav a chick brand vitamins and electrolytes. Their probiotics are good too. Good luck and I will be following to see if they hatch. I have a twin Emu egg in my incubator too. Although, there is no way to be sure it is 812 grams vs. the other eggs are 600 grams. I wish I could see in that egg. It is moving like crazy compared to the others and on day 44 today.

 

[LuckyDuckie2287]

Good luck with your twins too!!! Gosh, I'd gotten muscovies so I wouldn't have to incubate (this is our first solid year homesteading) and here I am, and I'm HOOKED on it

Let me know how your emu babies do!!

Super exciting stuff!