How often can they get cold?

[TicketyBoo]

I've been carefully watching my nest of call duck eggs and I've noticed that they (the adults) frequently leave the nest. Is this normal?
The eggs feel quite cool when they've left them for up to half an hour (covered with bedding and feathers).

I candled them and all but one appear to be growing and still have good veining. If they were dead, would there still be veining?

Sorry for so many questions from a newbie.

The next batch is definitely going in an incubator. I just don't trust these ducks lol!

 

[pefferlawchicken]

veining is good ... but what day are they on ?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Some first year call duck hens have bad habits of incubating the eggs 2/3 of the way, and then leaving the nest. She shouldnt be getting off the nest for more than 10 or 15 min. every couple of days.

is this the first year the ducks are sitting on nests? Also, are they white? I have heard that white call ducks generally are bad sitters until they get a couple years of age

 

[TicketyBoo]

They're white calls, but it's their second year - they successfully hatched 7/13 last year so I was expecting pretty good results.

All the eggs are officially goners - candled them again and only one has a blob that looks decent but it's way too small for this stage.

I'll take them away, improve their nesting area and hope they'll lay again sooner than later.

It was really odd that the drake took to setting on them instead of the ducks and he was doing really well.

Next batch of eggs I'll incubate myself.