Help! broke egg while candling. Can see a bill and breathing.

[Sparow]

It's a duck egg. We brought it inside and put it on a heat mat. The young one looks like it has an egg tooth and is moving it's bill open and licking its bill. We were worried that it would get further damaged if we returned to the disenchanted mama duck (mad that we moved the eggs to candle) so brought it in. Should we run out and get an incubator (20min away?) I know we shouldn't give em too much help with the egg....but any advice? The whole egg is flexing with the breaths. help!!

 

[Denninmi]

How soon to hatch? If its less than a couple of days, it might make it, but the odds are long. Usually infection sets in.

Probably your best bet might be to put some tape over the break, and put it back in the nest. The hen may just discard it, but it may be worth a try.

 

[Sparow]

Thanks. It's a pretty big break...like quarter sized and through the membrane. I'm not sure if we could easily tape it up...It chirped a little bit. According to my math the eggs could be due to hatch any day (or even yesterday). They're duck crosses so my research tells me it would be 30-35 days. This is day 34.

 

[Sparow]

My husband ran out and got an incubator last night so that we could at least keep it at the proper temp and humidity -- due diligence and all. We put the egg in there all night and all day. It started chirping more with the humidity up. This evening when we got home from work it was hatching!!!
The duckling is currently in the brooder drying off. I hope the little guy makes it.

 

[chicken farmer 1997]

it will probley make it.... i had a chick that did that and it died.

 

[Denninmi]

I'd say if it managed to hatch on its own after all of that it's probably pretty strong and the odds are it will make it. Please let us know!

 

[Saltysteele]

Quote:
i'm confused by this... is it supposed to be motivational, or demotivational?