How old are my duck eggs?

[Boymom2]

Momma duck was killed and the rescue has no room for more eggs but will take them if I can get them to hatch. My neighbor said she saw the duck start sitting regularly on Feb 22 (leap year so extra day) ... by my calculation today should be hatch day but they don’t look quite 28 days old to me (this photo was 1 day ago) Do you have any guess around how old they are and if I should still be turning them? I have them in an incubator. I’m trying to determine if I need my humidity at 65% or not if they are 3 days out. I was scared to pick them up too much so I just shined a flashlight on them. I can see the ducks moving in most eggs, some beaks and all have bright red veining. TIA.

 

[Pyxis]

If she had started sitting on the 22nd tomorrow would actually be the hatch day But, you're right, those aren't quite that far along judging from candling. I'd put them more around day 20 or so. In the last week and the days leading up to hatching, the egg is going to be almost entirely black aside from the air cell. These don't look quite there yet.

I would say wait to do lockdown until you see draw down - the egg will be mostly black and you'll see the air cell suddenly pull down one side of the egg. That means the chick is getting into hatching position.

 

[Boymom2]

If she had started sitting on the 22nd tomorrow would actually be the hatch day But, you're right, those aren't quite that far along judging from candling. I'd put them more around day 20 or so. In the last week and the days leading up to hatching, the egg is going to be almost entirely black aside from the air cell. These don't look quite there yet.

I would say wait to do lockdown until you see draw down - the egg will be mostly black and you'll see the air cell suddenly pull down one side of the egg. That means the chick is getting into hatching position.

That is around what I was thinking too. Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

What breed of duck?

 

[Boymom2]

Mallard

 

[Isaac 0]

Mallards hatch "around" day 26.

 

[Boymom2]

Mallards hatch "around" day 26.

That’s good to know! I’m trying to determine what day they are on. I thought I knew but looking at them I think that’s inaccurate.