Help - our Duck has been on egg for 35 days

[dle124]

hello - we are having our first duck on an egg she is a Muscovy and she’s been on the egg for 35 days. I noticed tonight the egg is grey. Does that mean the egg is going bad? This seems pretty long time for her to be on this egg and it not hatch. Help!!

 

[sourland]

Incubation period for muscovies is roughly 35 days. Does she just have the one egg ?

 

[dle124]

Yes there was two but I don’t know where the other went. Sorta thinking one of our chickens got to it. I noticed the egg appears somewhat grey - is that normal?

 

[Miss Lydia]

You need to very carefully take the egg and candle. I say very carefully because if it's rotten it can explode, and if it has a duckling in it you def don't want to drop it. 35 days is common hatching time for a Muscovy egg so hopefully there is a duckling in the egg. Do you have a drake by the way so the egg is fertile?

 

[dle124]

Hi Miss Lydia - we do have a couple drakes. Are you able to tell me though if it's normal for the egg to turn a color (grey) when getting close to hatch or in your opinion does that sound like the egg may be rotten? I've never had ducks before so I'm pretty clueless. I've never done the egg/candle test - would a flashlight do the same thing? I'm taking it I need to hold the light and I'd be able to see inside the shell? Thanks for your assistance!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Hi Miss Lydia - we do have a couple drakes. Are you able to tell me though if it's normal for the egg to turn a color (grey) when getting close to hatch or in your opinion does that sound like the egg may be rotten? I've never had ducks before so I'm pretty clueless. I've never done the egg/candle test - would a flashlight do the same thing? I'm taking it I need to hold the light and I'd be able to see inside the shell? Thanks for your assistance!

Yes a flashlight will work. But it must be powerful. You can check put this video for tips/how to:

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's hard to say why the egg has turned gray it maybe just the duckling taking up all the egg I can't say I have ever seen that with any other the eggs my Muscovy females have sat on though.

 

[Lil Drake40]

Have you candled? @dle124

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

When candling you should see an air sack at one end and MIGHT see a beak or other body part with a very bright LED flashlight.