Help hatching wood duck eggs!!

[122trix]

Hi there....
I am brand new to this site(first post) but I read advise here all the time... I have a pair of breeding wood ducks in my aviary with 7 chickens. Last year they mated and momma laid 5 eggs, only one hatch Lone duckling lived 5 days and died. Start this year, Momma laid 11 eggs this time around, much better mom and has been sitting and incubating eggs since April 24Th (29 days ago). I have candled various eggs when she has left her nest to drink, eat and swim in the pool and took videos of the movement and they are nice and toasty in there. How much longer should I wait?? I'm a "Nervous Nelly" waiting everyday for babies, and after seeing all the mortality rates of wood ducks hatched by wood ducks, I think they will not hatch. Should I give them a few more days? Or try to shoo her out of the box and help the ducklings hatch myself. I am positive that 2 eggs are not fertile, but that still leaves 9 eggs. I'm worried that they may not be in the right position to pip out or that the humidity is not good.... I haven't seen her leave the nest to eat or drink in about 5 days now, prob getting ready for hatch I hope, but I'm worried now. Momma is super protective and hissing as she should be and I don't want to piss her off. BTW, her eggs and nest are high up in reg. wood duck box and she loves it in there..... These are my babies! Any suggestions???

 

[duckmomma92]

I know nothing, sorry but id like to know what happens and see pictures!!

 

[farmer boy]

i never had woods ducks (they are not around where i live .. canada) so i don't think i can help you much but ducks i have take 28 days and scovies take 30 something days but im not sure about wood ducks

 

[kacky]

If it has been 29 days they should be hatching or should have hatched by now. We have 12 pair and should have a clutch coming off this weekend. The ducklings are challenging to raise but if you can get them eating and calmed down they do fine. Try mealworms and mazuri starter works great but it is a little pricy. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[122trix]

Do you think I should try to shoo her out of box and listen for pips and assist?? I could have my days off with the count that she started sitting....

 

[swenson1995]

I would just let the mother do the work

 

[kacky]

Raising wood ducks is something we have been trying to perfect for 25 years. Even if you do leave them with the mother they probably have even less of a chance of surviving due to their wild nature. I would not shoo her off as she may not come back we had this happen with a couple of different species this year. I would wait another day or two and then take the eggs to assist you can test the eggs in a bucket of water to see if they shake or just candle them. Good luck!

 

[122trix]

So today is 31 days by my calender from the day she started sitting...Full moon to full moon!! I could be off by a day or so, and I have been putting my ear on the box for the last day or so and last night and this morning and I've been hearing pips and peeps and momma talking and cooing a lot. I hope this is a good sign. She adamantly will not let me take the top off the box anymore for photos and the last pic I was able to get of her was not in a sitting position, but wings spread out in the box, so I'm hoping there are babies under those wings. How long til they jump and should I take them all away from her to the brooder, or let her raise one or two??

 

[122trix]

I HAVE BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[duckmomma92]

Yay!!!!!!! Congratulations!