muscovy eggs

[sadsak]

Our Trixie has been sitting on egg for approx.. 38 days. The last two days she is basically standing over them
Now my question is: is there a way to tell if the babies are indeed alive, is there ever a reason for cracking a shell for them to get out?
How long do you leave the eggs before you figure they are dead.

This morning when I looked in on her she moved one of the eggs under her.

Will the girls sit on dead eggs?

 

[sourland]

If Trixie is a mallard derived hen, the eggs should have hatched ten days ago. If she is a Muscovy, the ducklings should have just hatched. Yes, they will sit on infertile or 'dead' eggs.

 

[sadsak]

thank you for the reply. We gave a guess at 35 days of actually sitting on the eggs but could be off a day or two. The 22 was day 35 and now we are on to day 38.
I do not want to take them away if there is chicks in there but how can you tell? It really is a mess in her house and I would like to get in there and clean it out. How much longer should we wait to see new babies?