Muscovy Duck - Egg Membrane Day 42

[MariskaKilian]

More Pick

Baby camp

I have these old tyres everywhere in the camp that I put ground in, they love scrubbing in it although there is plenty ground everywhere.

 

[MariskaKilian]

Hi, You will not believe me. The eggs that I took inside all died. The rotten eggs that I left with mom just incase... well they started to pip, YES pip. It is Day 46. Crazy, 11 days overdue and now they pip. Hopefully they will be out tomorrow and hopefully they are strong. Looks like there will be two. Will update tomorrow.

 

[WVduckchick]

Wow! Sorry for your loss and good luck with the others!

 

[danotoyou2]

Wow, what an ordeal!

Here's my guess on what happened, given my Muscovies.... Mine get broody, sit on their nest often, and sleep there at night, for about a week before the official "setting" begins. I would think for sure that they spend enough time on the eggs to start the clock, but I think that they must not be warm enough to start the process, or they stand often enough to cool the eggs off. Either way, it's about a week of this behavior before they're in full-time-setting-mode. It can get very tricky to figure out when they're expected to hatch, to the point now where I've just given up and just candle the eggs once a week-or-so. Candling gives me a much better idea of when they'll hatch.

The pics and videos that you posted didn't look at all like an overdue egg (and I've hatched a few batches in an incubator where I had to assist them along). They looked right on target for ducklings that were about 28-30 days along. If they were further along, the blood veins and egg yolk would have absorbed much more.

 

[MariskaKilian]

I'm starting to think you are right, because these babies didn't look at all like they were ready and I thought for sure that they are suffocating. I feel like the worst person alive for killing all those babies. I just keep thinking of what great chance they would have had if I just let nature take it's course, but noooooo I wanted to help. So yes I really feel terrible and these were my first Muscovy babies. I've never had it with my chickens. They breed out spot on, on day 21, sometimes even day 20. But I would never in my life help a baby again unless the other babies started hatching and there is one that didn't hatch two days later and is alive in the egg. I've learned my lesson the very hard way. I've checked on the baby that piped yesterday and he started zipping about half way around the egg. He takes for ever in my eyes but at least he is doing it and it looks like the 7 weeks sitting on the eggs will get mom at least one or two babies. Will see tomorrow if the baby is born and hopefully mom is a good mom.

 

[WVduckchick]

Ah don't beat yourself up over it. Nothing you did was anything less than trying to help! Mother Nature likes throwing us curve balls! I really hope you get a couple ducklings, and remember you have learned a great lesson. There are reasons why things happen, I believe, so hang in there!

 

[danotoyou2]

I'm starting to think you are right, because these babies didn't look at all like they were ready and I thought for sure that they are suffocating. I feel like the worst person alive for killing all those babies. I just keep thinking of what great chance they would have had if I just let nature take it's course, but noooooo I wanted to help. So yes I really feel terrible and these were my first Muscovy babies. I've never had it with my chickens. They breed out spot on, on day 21, sometimes even day 20. But I would never in my life help a baby again unless the other babies started hatching and there is one that didn't hatch two days later and is alive in the egg. I've learned my lesson the very hard way. I've checked on the baby that piped yesterday and he started zipping about half way around the egg. He takes for ever in my eyes but at least he is doing it and it looks like the 7 weeks sitting on the eggs will get mom at least one or two babies. Will see tomorrow if the baby is born and hopefully mom is a good mom.

You were trying to help, and I bet you've learned a lot about the process, so I'd chalk it up to life experience!
FWIW, when I have broody ducks the only interference I bother with is checking the nest once a week or so to candle eggs and remove any that are foul smelling or obviously not fertilized. When I see that the air cell is "dipping" (it gets bigger, and goes down one side of the egg almost halfway), I know that they'll hatch within the next week.
Once the mother duck has taken the babies off the nest I'll go check the nest to see if there are any eggs left that haven't hatched yet. If there are, I put that egg in an incubator until it hatches. It can be reintroduced to the flock and the mother probably won't know the difference.
Otherwise, mama ducks know best. It's amazing how well they are at hatching them, considering how hard it is to hatch Muscovy eggs in an incubator.

 

[healtyfeathers]

Don't feel so bad. It's hard not to become anxious during a hatch. I've done the same thing before and caused the babies not to make it. Now you will know for the next time around.

 

[MariskaKilian]

Say hello to little Pip

 

[WVduckchick]

Say hello to little Pip

Awww lookie there! Tooooo cute!! Congrats!!