HELP! Mother Duck Killed- How long can Eggs Survive W/O Heat?

[chickeepoo]

Welcome aboard, Blueid10! Hoping I have good news for all with these ducklings, so I'll post as I know something sure!

 

[limpychick]

Can't wait to hear if you get some little duckies. I put some runner eggs under my hen when I went to check my duck nest and found a black snake in there devouring them. I took what was left, and put them under my hen, but it seems to be taking forever. I thought the duck had been laying on them for a while and now the hen has been on them for almost 2 weeks.

 

[chickeepoo]

Visible with light to end of egg- 3 of 6 eggs have a duckling breathing (rather rapid paced, more than 120 per minute- maybe that's how they're supposed to be at this point?) with what I assume is the beak -all 3 the same- in the air sac end of the egg close to the shell, occasionally peeping, don't hear much pecking… they are definitely in position to zip, so I hope this means these 3 can hatch. I don't see or hear any movement from the others, but they may be a little behind the first ones. Keep fingers crossed and wait…

 

[ancona91]

Good Morning chickiepoo!!!!
So far it's sounding really good!!! Those 3 have an excellent chance of hatching!!! It still may take a day or 2...just keep an eye on them. If it seems they're having trouble breaking through , LIGHTLY mist the eggs with lukewarm water, being careful not to spray it into any holes they may have pipped(that could drown them)....but I'd give it a while before I attempted spraying them. Also, it's best to keep the bator closed as much as possible to keep the humidity at the proper level, which is crucial during the hatch.....consider this as "lockdown" and proceed accordingly. The other 3 eggs still have a chance....they're maybe lagging behind a bit....that happens in a lot of my hatches,especially with duck eggs.
Good luck!!!! Speak to you later!!
Kathy
P.S. Hey, are you a doctor or a nurse??! I think it's normal for their breathing to be more rapid than usual......trying to break out of an egg is stressful and very tiring. By the time they hatch, they're totally exhausted.

 

[chickeepoo]

Good morning, Ancona!
No, I'm not a medical professional, but I feel like I just finished a nurse's graveyard shift, checking the temp & humidity every couple of hours and watching for any signs of cracks in the eggs… I'm wiped! I did see that the ducklings have moved more, including 2 others into the air cell, but no one has been able to break the shell yet. I mentioned the breathing just in case it pointed to problems… you're right- this is hard work for them! I'm keeping the lid closed since last night's candling to make a quick progress check, so now I'm WAITING. My temp went to 99º on its own yesterday, so that's why i was watching and trying to keep it back at 97º- while I was doing that it dropped some but finally stabilized. The little peepers answer peeps through the glass (kind of a way to check and say, "Hey guys, you still alive?") with a few soft peeps… so cute! Does this encourage them at all to "get moving?" I just want to be sure they can get break out of the shell in time… This is nerve wracking. Quails and other birds just… hatch! I don't remember any drama or long waiting!

*I've hatched quail, chickens, and a dove in an incubator - the only duck eggs I ever hatched were under a duck…

 

[ancona91]

Chickeepoo,
You're really doing a wonderful job...you should be proud of yourself!!! I know what you mean about checking the bator about 10 million times(smile). I've been hatching ducklings for over 8 years now......and I still worry about every hatch.....and I still marvel at what a magical event it really is. I am thrilled(and worried) about every hatch.
Your peeping at them through the "glass" will definitely encourage them . When the first one hatches, its peeping helps get itds siblings moving even more quickly. That's fantastic that 2 more have entered the air cell.....keep our fingers crossed for the 6th one!!!!
And now, you just WAIT (smile).........checking the temp and humidity once in a while.
Will check back with you later!!!!
Kathy

 

[chickeepoo]

*To all who have ever watched an incubator, wringing your hands- I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!

Thank you Kathy, for the ongoing support and advice… I'm trying hard to "Stand By" and wait on your "grand-ducklings"

to crack that shell! Good thing I have some chores to do, or I might be sitting there by the incubator all day…

Hopefully today's the day, or maybe tonight…

 

[rebecky1305]

Just started following this post... Looking forward to happy updates! Keep us posted!

 

[ancona91]

Hello chickiepoo and Everyone Else Following This Story!!!!!
I'm hoping and praying for a wonderful outcome.........who couldn't use an uplifting happy story for a change?!? The waiting is the hardest part. We all may as well make some popcorn(smile).
Kathy(in Sunny NY)

 

[chickeepoo]

There's no change yet… I hear only a couple of little voices occasionally coming from the incubator, I haven't opened it since last night, and temp and humidity are 97º & 72%… still no holes or any signs that they're pecking their way out. I listened but I think I'd need something to hear any tapping coming from the inside of each egg (and that would mean opening the bator and picking them up). Kathy, please let me know when you think they should make some more progress by, or when you think I should take a look w/ the candling light? Thanks ~ Kathy (also!)