Help! eggs being eaten as peeping

[favorelle fab]

Hi, I'm new to byc. I've had a muscovy duck who decided to sit on our faverolle eggs, so we thought we'd let her go and rear the chicks if they hatched.

The problem: the eggs are due today or tomorrow and the last 2 mornings we've been down an egg. this morning when I checked there were only 4 eggs left, but one was peeping

. I thought maybe a snake had been stealing them. I just got back from the school run and quickly checked and the one who was peeping was gone! the duck had yolk and blood all over her beak and there was shell in the nest.

I've taken the 3 remaining eggs out, but don't know what to do now. Got them close to me to keep them warm - they felt a little cool when I picked them up. I don't have an incubator, but I don't want to leave them with the duck - is there anything I can set up? or do?

any help greatly appreciated

Tracey

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Bra-bator, while you get a box with a light and a humidity source going. I'm so sorry your duck likes chicken!

 

[favorelle fab]

As in keep the eggs in my bra?

used to do this with orphan possum babies!!!

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
whoa...I'm not sure if i could have possums in my bra...eggs...yes.

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Yes, tuck them in your bra while you're getting another place ready - but with them pipping, you need to get them somewhere where you can keep the humidity high and controlled pretty quickly before anyone shrinkwraps. No one wants shrinkwrapped boobies ... erm ... chickies.

 

[favorelle fab]

These eggs aren't peeping yet... don't even know if they're still alive, at last candling they looked good...but this is a first for us so I'm kinda just fumbling along in the dark. Just feel so awful about the one I heard this morning! I had know idea it was the duck all along...

 

[favorelle fab]

Well the bra bator worked to keep the eggs nice and warm, I've now got them in a styrofoam box with a light and a dish of water. I think trying my hand at one of the DIY bators on here is a good idea, then at least I'd have a back up if mother nature doesn't want to cooperate - or silly ducks decide to eat "their" babies!! Fingers crossed these little guys make it

 

[favorelle fab]

Well sad to say the little eggs didn't make it. It was just too difficult to keep them at a stable temp, and twice they were over cooked, temp spiked at 50degC and also dropped in to low 30's. We autopsied the remaining eggs to find 3 fully developed ready to hatch little chicks

. Given the 4th I'd heard, and the fact that 2 eggs had been missing, I'm guessing all 6 eggs had developed fully (which I suppose is pretty good) just a shame we couldn't get them to hatch. I'm currently getting parts to make an incubator (alot harder to get here in Australia that the US!! for a reasonable cost that is...) That way we'll be better prepared if anything happens like this again. Plus we might try our hand at incubator hatching while we wait for the chickens to go broody...they might do a better job than the duck.

thanks for the prompt replies

Tracey

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Aaaw. I'm so sorry to hear that! You'll have better luck next time, though -

 

[Impress]

Quote:
I had to do that with an orphaned baby squirrel once to keep him warm getting him to the animal sanctuary. Long story short, let's just say he was hungry and I had to get shots.