How to tell if fertilized eggs have died?

[MelissaVree]

I’ve been incubating duck eggs for almost two weeks and have had their temp regulated strictly. I have a thermometer in with them, and when I came home today, it was at 104 degrees f , which according to what I have researched, kills the embryo. I’ve put so much work into this and I have no idea how they got that hot. Is there a way to tell when candling over the next couple days if the embryo has died or if it’s still alive? These embryos are almost two weeks old so how do I tell?

 

[nuthatched]

You should be able to see movement if they're alive. I'm sorry this happened. They could still be alive, depending on how long the temperature was up.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I’ve been incubating duck eggs for almost two weeks and have had their temp regulated strictly. I have a thermometer in with them, and when I came home today, it was at 104 degrees f , which according to what I have researched, kills the embryo. I’ve put so much work into this and I have no idea how they got that hot. Is there a way to tell when candling over the next couple days if the embryo has died or if it’s still alive? These embryos are almost two weeks old so how do I tell?

Can you get photos of the eggs being candled? If there are veins/movememt, they're alive.

 

[MelissaVree]

You should be able to see movement if they're alive. I'm sorry this happened. They could still be alive, depending on how long the temperature was up.

Update: the duck eggs are alive and perfectly fine so I’m relieved. Thank you!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Update: the duck eggs are alive and perfectly fine so I’m relieved. Thank you!

thats great news!! Are the temps nice and stable now? Are you using a homemade incubator?

 

[MelissaVree]

thats great news!! Are the temps nice and stable now? Are you using a homemade incubator?

I was using a heat lamp as I couldn’t afford an incubator but my bf split on one with me so they are now in that. The temps with the lamp were fluctuating too much so we decided to go in on an incubator.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I was using a heat lamp as I couldn’t afford an incubator but my bf split on one with me so they are now in that. The temps with the lamp were fluctuating too much so we decided to go in on an incubator.

I think thats a good choice, incubators will be easier to regulate with humidity too.