Incubating wild mallard egg questions/concerns

[ducklady1010]

I have never incubated eggs before but now have 3 wild mallard eggs rescued from a ravished nest. I found this nest located only 1 foot from our road after my dog flushed the duck out. There was only 1 egg there that day. I looked for several days and counted 4 eggs. The last time I looked she was there setting on the eggs. But, that would be mean she had only laid 8 eggs. Then one morning I found her wandering in the street clearly distressed and limping. The nest was ravished, eggs broken everywhere but 3 intact eggs remained. I returned several times during that morning but the mother duck was gone.

Since I have 3 farm ducks, duck house and pond I thought perhaps I could save these eggs. I bought an incubator and got things started.

I attempted to candle the eggs and they clearly were fertile. My best guess was that IF she was actually setting on the eggs, the eggs would be at day 8. However, I am not sure.

Assuming day 8 was correct the eggs would now be at day 21. But, 2 of the eggs look strange. At first they looked completely red with yellow and a small area of white at the top. NOW, the large end does have a smallish air sac, the middle is a very dark red, BUT the bottom 1/4 is yellow with debris floating.

I am just not sure what I am seeing. Maybe these 2 eggs are not as far along in the process. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I have never incubated eggs before but now have 3 wild mallard eggs rescued from a ravished nest. I found this nest located only 1 foot from our road after my dog flushed the duck out. There was only 1 egg there that day. I looked for several days and counted 4 eggs. The last time I looked she was there setting on the eggs. But, that would be mean she had only laid 8 eggs. Then one morning I found her wandering in the street clearly distressed and limping. The nest was ravished, eggs broken everywhere but 3 intact eggs remained. I returned several times during that morning but the mother duck was gone.

Since I have 3 farm ducks, duck house and pond I thought perhaps I could save these eggs. I bought an incubator and got things started.

I attempted to candle the eggs and they clearly were fertile. My best guess was that IF she was actually setting on the eggs, the eggs would be at day 8. However, I am not sure.

Assuming day 8 was correct the eggs would now be at day 21. But, 2 of the eggs look strange. At first they looked completely red with yellow and a small area of white at the top. NOW, the large end does have a smallish air sac, the middle is a very dark red, BUT the bottom 1/4 is yellow with debris floating.

I am just not sure what I am seeing. Maybe these 2 eggs are not as far along in the process. Does anyone have suggestions?

What you are describing could be embryonic death. Are you able to take a picture of the candling egg? If you look around BYC, you’ll see how others have taken photos. I’m including one that I just told of an egg that might (or might not) have a dead embryo... In this case, the shell was too dark shelled for me to know for sure, so I put it back in the incubator.

 

[ducklady1010]

What you are describing could be embryonic death. Are you able to take a picture of the candling egg? If you look around BYC, you’ll see how others have taken photos. I’m including one that I just told of an egg that might (or might not) have a dead embryo... In this case, the shell was too dark shelled for me to know for sure, so I put it back in the incubator.

 

[ducklady1010]

Thank you for responding. I tried to take pictures.......and I have posted what I got. These are the bottom or pointed end of the egg.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thank you for responding. I tried to take pictures.......and I have posted what I got. These are the bottom or pointed end of the egg.

Sorry I’m unable to see the pictures. Can you try reposting?

 

[ducklady1010]

Sorry I’m unable to see the pictures. Can you try reposting?[/QUOTE
I hope you can see these now.....this is the bottom of the 2 eggs

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

View attachment 1816357 View attachment 1816358

Is that the same egg or different eggs? Second picture looks better than the first... How long have you been incubating them? Did you candle and see that they had already started developing when you started incubation?

 

[ducklady1010]

Is that the same egg or different eggs? Second picture looks better than the first... How long have you been incubating them? Did you candle and see that they had already started developing when you started incubation?

These are 2 separate eggs. I believe this is day 21. My concern is this is the bottom part of the egg......air sac is on other side and looks normal. When I first candled and on day 14 the whole egg except air sac was red...........now there is this yellow area at the bottom. I know the images are poor.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

These are 2 separate eggs. I believe this is day 21. My concern is this is the bottom part of the egg......air sac is on other side and looks normal. When I first candled and on day 14 the whole egg except air sac was red...........now there is this yellow area at the bottom. I know the images are poor.

Sorry I just read your post again and understand better. So, the light is going through the narrow end of the egg, the air cell is on top? Pictures with the light through the air cell might be better, but I would honestly just keep incubating them for another week and see what happens... Does your third egg look better?

 

[Farmer In Training]

Duck eggs typically hatch after day 21 so this is normal. I don’t think they look dead. If I were you put them back in the incubator and just see what happens... maybe do research on when duck eggs normally hatch especially for mallards.