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Help-Edit-Pekin egg, what if I don't see the bill in the air sack?

Discussion in 'Incubating & Hatching Eggs' started by Halie Dawn, Jun 3, 2008.

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  1. Jun 3, 2008 #1
    Halie Dawn

    Halie Dawn In the Brooder

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    I found a duck egg in my neighbor's yard a while ago. I think it's a Pekin duck egg, and I decided to try to incubate it. The first 20 days or so seemed to go well, and I would candle the egg kind of frequently, but I'm not sure if that was a good thing to do because when I looked at the egg three days ago I didn't see any movement and I'm really worried that maybe I over candled it? It wasn't like multiple times a day, but I would look at the egg maybe once a day. I was just really excited to see the little thing moving around, and then one day I didn't see movement and I've been too nervous to candle it. I feel really terrible for it; I guess I'd just like to hear what to do at this point and if over candling could have killed Colin (I named it Colin). Its suppose to hatch on the 7th.
    Thanks.

    EDIT:
    So it's day 27 and I read that the egg should hatch on the 28th day. I also read that 24-48 hours before the egg hatches I should be able to see the duck bill in the air sack, and I haven't seen that happen yet.
    Should I be worried?
    Thanks.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2008
  2. Jun 3, 2008 #2
    Three Cedars Silkies

    Three Cedars Silkies Crowing

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    This is sort of the blind leading the blind for me to reply...but from what I've read here, the last few days there isn't much movement because the baby is pretty tight in the shell.

    The candling itself won't hurt the baby but taking it out of the incubator multiple times could. I don't know about ducks so I'll shut up and let an expert tell you.

    Wishing you great hatching!! [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  3. Jun 3, 2008 #3
    BlackSilkey

    BlackSilkey In the Brooder

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    When we did chickes in 3rd grade we candeled tjhem each like 3 times on day 6, 12, and 18 and only 4 out of the 22 didn't make it.
     
  4. Jun 3, 2008 #4
    Myst4

    Myst4 Songster

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    Quote:With my first hatch, I had 12 eggs. I candled every night(until the 18th day) and sometimes during the day. I had all 12 hatch fine. With my second hatch, I had 28 eggs, 24 hatched....the remaining 4 didn't and were dead(i opened them). I candled everyday just as I did with my first hatch. So personally I don't think it matters how many times you candle...though others may think differently. It's a personal preference I think. But I must add that I didn't open the bator right up,only just enough for my hand to get through and then the temp didn't drop drastically.
     
  5. Jun 3, 2008 #5
    luvmychicknkids

    luvmychicknkids Canning Squirrel

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    If you are hand turning you are going to open the bator 3 times a day anyway. As long as you do it QUICK it shouldn't be a problem!!! UNLESS you are flipping and wiggling the egg a lot while candling. It can damage the blood vessels. I was a psycho, daily almost candler and got 10 of 12 and those 2 lost were fully developed. Good luck. The baby could have also been sleeping. They do that. [​IMG]
     
  6. Jun 3, 2008 #6
    Halie Dawn

    Halie Dawn In the Brooder

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    Ok, I'll just continue with what I should be doing and hopefully it will hatch. Thank you for the quick responses!
     
  7. Jun 3, 2008 #7
    goatkeepers

    goatkeepers Songster

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    I think they will be fine. I have read that towards the end, as they get more crowded in the egg, they will move less. [​IMG]
    Keep us posted.
     
  8. Jun 3, 2008 #8
    Halie Dawn

    Halie Dawn In the Brooder

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    Haha, I just realized that this is a chicken forum. Sorry, duck eggs are probably some what different from chicken eggs, but thanks for all the help despite my mix up in species!
    I'll keep you guys posted about the egg though!
     
  9. Jun 6, 2008 #9
    Halie Dawn

    Halie Dawn In the Brooder

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    bump?
     
  10. Jun 6, 2008 #10
    WriterofWords

    WriterofWords Has Fainting Chickens

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    Love to know what happened?
     
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