Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

[yinepu]

Well, it's 0230 and I'm going to bed. The one that never internally pipped is dead.

I have two remaining that haven't completely hatched.

One is out of its shell, but weak and still has a protruding navel which means it hasn't absorbed all the yolk, etc. I have isolated it within the hatching tray so the hatched ducks cannot bother it.

The other one has the shell half off, but still absorbing the yolk and appears weak also. I have isolated it too. One this one, I did wet between the remaining shell and hatchling with distilled water to keep it moist.

Hopefully both will be ok in the morning, but I give them a 50/50 chance.

If these two don't make it my hatching rate dropped from 78.6% to 64%.................

I've got to pinion the survivors tomorrow......or rather later today......more stress.

I'd love to have 11 bouncing baby ducks in the morning, but if I only have 9 I'll still be thankful. I could have None.

Ya know, I sure wouldn't want to do this for a living !! I've hatched out a lot of birds, but I've worried over this clutch more than any other clutch. They either hatched or they didn't. This one I am like a Coach, a Cheerleader, a Band Director and a new father.

you can wait a few days to pinion (I've gone as long as two weeks.. BUT there is more blood loss the longer you wait)..

Glad to hear you got most of them out.. I have had hatches where I did 0 assisting and got 100% hatch rates.. BUT those were from eggs that were laid here and also in a homemade bator.. so yes, it can be done even with muscovys.. shipped eggs make the embryos weaker (and a lot of clears).. but I have seen some shipped scovy eggs start to form an embryo then quit at day 12 simply because the embryo hit damaged tissue and then died because of it... now even with my shipped eggs.. so long as the USPS doesn't damage them and they are fertile I get 100% hatch rates on the fertile ones.. lol.. I just listen to my gut to tell me if I need to intervene or not (but then again this old bird has been hatching out eggs for a very very long time)...

for the ones with open navels.. make sure you swab the navels with iodine.. that will help prevent infection from setting in and killing them in a few days..

 

[yinepu]

I love the pictures and the commentary , sorry also for the ones you lost it's never easy. But hopefully the rest will be fine and today you can sit back and enjoy your new ducklings. This just makes it all the more clear why I DON'T want an incubator. Whew

lol.. i have a house full of bators.. most run 24 / 7 / 365
we hatch out everything from parrots to mandarin ducks to muscovys.. emu to chickens and peafowl.. to reptiles.. pretty much if it lays an egg.. we've hatched it or one of it's cousins out at one point or another... (lol.. no platypus though... though I have always wanted to try)!

 

[charlindabob]

lol.. i have a house full of bators.. most run 24 / 7 / 365
we hatch out everything from parrots to mandarin ducks to muscovys.. emu to chickens and peafowl.. to reptiles.. pretty much if it lays an egg.. we've hatched it or one of it's cousins out at one point or another... (lol.. no platypus though... though I have always wanted to try)!

I used to be in the exotic reptile business and have hatched hundreds of pythons from Burmese, Retics, African Rocks, Carpets and their crosses, Diamonds, Womas and on and on including a few Gilas and numerous turtles. Even had a few cobras breath their first air here. Had many live hatch Boas too. All were in a home made incubator, actually a small walk in. Been out of the exotic's now for almost 17 years or so.

I have always enjoyed the challenge.

 

[charlindabob]

Day 34......Yesterday was a very long day.

OK, update.

I finally got to bed around 0300 or a bit later and up early this morning. I have 9 apparently healthy ducklings. Pictures later today.

The one hatchling that had the protruding navel and was weak that I separated from the "flock" has been introduced to them. It looks better, but still weak, but moving about a good bit. Still not fluffed out but I have upped the chances of survival to 75%.

Now the other one that is still in the shell is still alive, so I dampened the folded up wash cloth under the egg which is in a small bowl to keep it upright and still have it segregated from the flock. I still give it a 50/50 chance as there seems to be no change one way or the other.

Soon I will remove the healthy ducks to a large Rubbermade container with a wire insert covered with hardware cloth and then paper towels to inside the house. My wife will object, so if y'all hear anything, it's just me begging! I've already told her the eggs in the incubator WERE NOT BALUT !!!......lol

I will leave the two problem ducks in the 'bator I think until they fluff out, if they make it.

@ yinepu, I noticed in a couple pictures on your page, Incubating And Hatching Muscovy Eggs, you are using the same non-slicky (my new word) rubberized shelf liner on the bottom that I tried. Did you have problems with the ducklings toenails getting stuck? Such a minor question I know, but just curious.

 

[yinepu]

Day 34......Yesterday was a very long day.

OK, update.

I finally got to bed around 0300 or a bit later and up early this morning. I have 9 apparently healthy ducklings. Pictures later today.

The one hatchling that had the protruding navel and was weak that I separated from the "flock" has been introduced to them. It looks better, but still weak, but moving about a good bit. Still not fluffed out but I have upped the chances of survival to 75%.

Now the other one that is still in the shell is still alive, so I dampened the folded up wash cloth under the egg which is in a small bowl to keep it upright and still have it segregated from the flock. I still give it a 50/50 chance as there seems to be no change one way or the other.

Soon I will remove the healthy ducks to a large Rubbermade container with a wire insert covered with hardware cloth and then paper towels to inside the house. My wife will object, so if y'all hear anything, it's just me begging! I've already told her the eggs in the incubator WERE NOT BALUT !!!......lol

I will leave the two problem ducks in the 'bator I think until they fluff out, if they make it.

@ yinepu, I noticed in a couple pictures on your page, Incubating And Hatching Muscovy Eggs, you are using the same non-slicky (my new word) rubberized shelf liner on the bottom that I tried. Did you have problems with the ducklings toenails getting stuck? Such a minor question I know, but just curious.

yes and no.. some varieties of muscovy (bloodlines) have nice short little claws and have NO issue with claws getting stuck.. i have noticed that the white muscovy have longer claws and had a little bit of an issue (also in some of the lavenders).. so I had to put in a towel for them on top of the shelf liner when I hatch out those... never had a problem with it with the barred, chocolate or black and whites.. but I suppose if they are heavily crossed with the whites it might be an issue...

just make sure you give the little ones a good starter (high in niacin) for ducks too... it will help prevent star gazing and leg issues in those first few weeks

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
ah.. so I am not the only weird person who thinks snakes are cute!...

 

[charlindabob]

Ten ducklings, yes the one made it and is among these, one still in the half shell in the 'bator.

 

[charlindabob]

yes and no.. some varieties of muscovy (bloodlines) have nice short little claws and have NO issue with claws getting stuck.. i have noticed that the white muscovy have longer claws and had a little bit of an issue (also in some of the lavenders).. so I had to put in a towel for them on top of the shelf liner when I hatch out those... never had a problem with it with the barred, chocolate or black and whites.. but I suppose if they are heavily crossed with the whites it might be an issue...

just make sure you give the little ones a good starter (high in niacin) for ducks too... it will help prevent star gazing and leg issues in those first few weeks

yinepu, what starter would you recommend? Purina Start & Grow or some other brand? Sometimes you have to get what's available. Right now I have them on some non-medicated egg layer type of feed from a mill, BUT I DO NOT INTEND leaving them on this, it is just what I had on hand and I was going to the feed store today, but have my plate full and will go tomorrow. Sort of glad I waited and read your post so I could ask recommendations.
And yeah, I'm fond of exotics, mostly Aspidites and Gilas. Still carry a fair share of scars from some pythons in the 18-22' range.

Also, Jon from WOWSAFARM, what do you suggest ? Just look at your babies Jon, the cutest little buggers, huh? I am a former Marine and seen my fair share of war and sorrow and I usually don't get all excited over some eggs that hatch, but I guess I am just getting senile huh? I'm like an old mother hen as the saying goes.

 

[Dianne88]

yinepu, what starter would you recommend? Purina Start & Grow or some other brand? Sometimes you have to get what's available. Right now I have them on some non-medicated egg layer type of feed from a mill, BUT I DO NOT INTEND leaving them on this, it is just what I had on hand and I was going to the feed store today, but have my plate full and will go tomorrow. Sort of glad I waited and read your post so I could ask recommendations. And yeah, I'm fond of exotics, mostly Aspidites and Gilas. Still carry a fair share of scars from some pythons in the 18-22' range. Also, Jon from WOWSAFARM, what do you suggest ? Just look at your babies Jon, the cutest little buggers, huh? I am a former Marine and seen my fair share of war and sorrow and I usually don't get all excited over some eggs that hatch, but I guess I am just getting senile huh? I'm like an old mother hen as the saying goes.

My husband just retired from the Marine Corps Aug 1 after 25 yrs. Small world! Love your babies, so happy for you!

 

[yinepu]

Quote: you gety feed from TSC?.. if so .. DUMOR... the one with the little duckling on the bag.. I know a lot of people are nor fans of purina products and especially Dumor.. but I've had the best results with it locally and don't have to supplement their water with B vitamins when I do

Our local feed store has duckling starter.. BUT it's not high enough in niacin most of the time (it's ground at the local mill)... so I use Dumor from TSC when I am hatching out ducklings and goslings