HELP!! Duck embryo looks like it's stuck to the side of the egg

[Pamzie]

hello. I'm new to backyard chickens. I have duck eggs and one of the embryos looks like it is stuck to the side of the egg. They are at day 22. I can see movement in the egg. Should I be concerned? Should I help the duckling hatch when it's time?

 

[Pamzie]

Has anyone seen this before? Or have any information to offer?
They are buff Orpington duck eggs.

 

[et22]

Personally it looks normal to me. I haven't hatched ducks before but that is what I see when I hatch chicken chicks. If you have been turning them then they should be fine. I would let it hatch on its own. Only help if really needed.

 

[Pamzie]

I know enough to know it's not normal. None of the other duck eggs look like that either. I've been turning 5x per day. My concern is, if the little duckling has been stuck to the side of the shell, how will it even pip?

 

[sumi]

You said it's on day 22, but it's not showing a lot of development for that period. In my experience with incubating ducks and chickens, I'd expect to see it fill a lot more of the egg by now. What is the temperature you are incubating them at?

 

[Pamzie]

Sumi, that my issue. Today is day 24. All of the other duck eggs look completely fine except for this particular egg. That is why I am concerned! I'm wondering if there is a problem with it's development. There is 6 other duck eggs and they look like the embryos are filling up the entire egg other than the air sack. There is movement in this egg but I'm afraid it's deformed in some way. They were all put in the bator at the exact same time and started developing the same, when candled. Should I open this egg up and have a look through the air sack?

 

[sumi]

I honestly can't tell you what to do, whether you should open the egg, or just remove it from the incubator and let the embryo fall asleep humanely. It's up what you feel like, what you can deal with. What I can tell you, if you consider letting it continue developing, is that the duckling will probably not live very long, if it makes it to hatch. I had a VERY delayed hatch with a chick once, if I recall she took about 5 or 6 weeks to finally hatch, which in itself was a miracle, but she was stunted and only lived 6 months.

 

[Pamzie]

It's such a hard call. (

 

[sumi]

I think humanely letting the little one go would the best solution now. Maybe removing it from the incubator and letting it cool down and placing it in a fridge, where the low temperatures would take care of it soon enough. I don't know if you'd want to open the egg to see, but judging from the candling pics, a very underdeveloped embryo is in there. I wonder how on earth it happened though? I've not seen this before, except with my above mentioned chick and that was a broody mishap.

 

[Pamzie]

I have no idea how it happened either. I turned all the eggs 5x per day. The temp was always consistent at 37.5 Celsius. Humidity was at 45-50%. I just fear that if I remove the egg and it's a healthy duckling and it's just positioned strangely for some unusual reason.....I know it's probably a small chance that it's a normal, healthy baby, but what if? I'm such a what if, optimistic person.