Muscovy Duck - Egg Membrane Day 42

[casportpony]

I honestly think it looks like they have another day or two to go. I'm seriously at a loss here. I hope something happens for you, and hope you will keep me posted.

I agree.

-Kathy

 

[WVduckchick]

Anything new?

 

[MariskaKilian]

I'm not worried about the humidity and temperature because they are under mother hen so I can't do much about that but what I am worried about is that I gave momma hen laying pellets before she started laying eggs so what if that made the membrane too thick for the babies to break into the air pocket. It was day 40 today and the babies are alive. The air cell line is now the same height right around, it is not skew any more and it looks like the inside is loose. Should I worry then? The babies also looks very tiny, They look like they are half the egg size. Will see tomorrow and let you know.

 

[MariskaKilian]

How were they incubated? Hen? Still air? Forced air? What temp? what humidity? Why are they on shavings?

-Kathy

Hi Kathy, So you heard that we have Mother Hen on the eggs that is why there are shavings. She actually has an whole bunch of feathers under her but I took the egg from under her to candle and put it in another breeding box nest to her just to see and then put it back. There is another question I have, everyone talks about lock down from day 18 with chicken eggs. What does this mean? I gather that the eggs doesn't get touched or opened in the incubator for that three days but why? what happens when you open them or candle them or is it about the picking up part. Thankx.

 

[WVduckchick]

Lockdown is a term used when using an incubator. Humidity needs to be higher during those last days. Opening the incubator usually causes humidity to drop, therefore some people choose to never open it. That's why the call it lockdown. Others also think the eggs shouldn't be touched those days. I dont have horrible humidity issues, so I open mine if necessary. Momma will regulate the humidity when she knows its time, so you shouldn't have to worry about "lockdown"

 

[MariskaKilian]

So the Muscovys are still alive and they look like they are through the membrane (Day 41). The one egg wasn't under the hen and was very cold this morning so I think that one might be dead. If you can maybe have a look, I'll appreciate.

 

[WVduckchick]

I hear that the hens will roll them out of the nest if they are not viable, so maybe that's what momma did with that one. Your pic appears like maybe the membrane tightened around the duckling? "shrinkwrapped". But I can't tell for sure.

 

[MariskaKilian]

What does this mean? panic or good news?

 

[casportpony]

When I find them out of the nest I put them back under the hen or in the incubator. As someone on BYC said "They're not dead until they're wamr and dead". What they meant by that is that often cold eggs, chicks, ducklings and adults will often look dead when they're cold, but once warmed they will start moving again.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

To me it looks like they have progressed.

-Kathy