My duck eggs hatching early!?!? Did I do something wrong?

[corri]

Were they her eggs? If so, maybe she laid it a couple days later? Its also possible that when you candled it, it had broken into the air cell making it harder for you to see. I'm just guessing. Hopefully you will see another baby in another day or so! Good luck!

Yes, they are definitely hers. I only have 2 adults...her and a Pekin drake and then 2, 10 week old Welsh Harlequin females who aren't laying yet. I know this is the 2nd egg She had layed and she was only setting on two. I am trying not to be paranoid but I keep freaking myself out.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes, they are definitely hers. I only have 2 adults...her and a Pekin drake and then 2, 10 week old Welsh Harlequin females who aren't laying yet. I know this is the 2nd egg She had layed and she was only setting on two. I am trying not to be paranoid but I keep freaking myself out.

Its understandable. We all go through it. I am putting 11 chicks in lockdown in my incubator tomorrow. I've never used a broody though. My ducks are 12 weeks (I incubated them too) so we are close with our teenagers! Lol
Hang in there! She will make you proud!!

 

[corri]

Well, I finally got a good light on it this morning. The reason I was having trouble candling was because the inside was all rotting liquid. So....looks like we only will have one baby this year. I was so stressed about it so even though I am sad, I am relieved it's over! I'm very thankful the one that did hatch is doing great. Thanks for listening to me, everyone!

 

[WVduckchick]

Well, I finally got a good light on it this morning. The reason I was having trouble candling was because the inside was all rotting liquid. So....looks like we only will have one baby this year. I was so stressed about it so even though I am sad, I am relieved it's over! I'm very thankful the one that did hatch is doing great. Thanks for listening to me, everyone!

Awww, so sorry... but glad you got one!

Post a pic if you can! We love pictures!

 

[corri]

Here is our one little baby...half Khaki Campbell and half Pekin. My daughter named it Daisy Star. She wanted to name it Star but we had another Pekin named Daisy that we lost to a preditor that she wanted to name it after also, so we decided on Daisy Star.

 

[WVduckchick]

Here is our one little baby...half Khaki Campbell and half Pekin. My daughter named it Daisy Star. She wanted to name it Star but we had another Pekin named Daisy that we lost to a preditor that she wanted to name it after also, so we decided on Daisy Star.

Doesn't get more precious than that! Love the name too!

 

[corri]

  Doesn't get more precious than that!   Love the name too!

Thanks! I know I am slightly partial but I think it's the cutest baby ever! We've had lots of babies here this spring but this one takes the cake!

 

[Lacrystol]

I have a female khaki campbell that I have only had since January. I don't know how old she is or if this is her first time being a mom. She had 2 eggs that she has been sitting on for 27 days....well, I should say 1 for 27 because the first one hatched 2 days ago. I know they were both developing because I had candled them a few times and saw movement in both. So anyway....the first hatched a couple days ago and I have been nervously waiting for the second one to hatch. I thought I read somewhere that when one starts hatching it sends some sort of signal to the others. But I have read so much info the past few weeks I can't remember it all. Lol. I tried candling but I think it wasn't dark enough. I *thought* I could see a good sized air cell but I would see it for a second and then I couldn't see anything again. I know that I am being impatient because tomorrow is the actual hatch date but this is my first time ever having babies hatch!

Baby #1 is doing awesome and mama is still sitting on the nest so I am taking that as a good sign. Oh, also, it seemed like when I would candle the second egg had a slightly smaller embryo than the one that hatched already. Sorry for the long random response! I'm trying to cram all this info into a couple paragraphs!

OK, are you saying when you candle you can see the air cell move? Smell the egg just in case, to see if it's rotten, you'll know if it is..

And yes, it's called the dominos affect, once one gets out BOOM BOOM BOOM, the competition is ON.. It's not necessary a signal they give, its the sound, they can hear each other inside the egg, so when one is out the others can hear him and will kick it into overdrive to join him. BUt if your egg isn't due until tomorrow, it would make sense as to why they aren't doing the dominos affect.

Now here's the tricky part, since the one is out, momma is probably getting off that nest to take him exploring, if she is your going to have to expect delays on the one in the nest, He'll still hatch but he will be a little late.

 

[Lynn Manes]

Does anyone here have any experience letting a mother duck hatch her own eggs? I have a few questions.

Yes.I have 2 WH who apparently are both first timers. They laid a total of like 24 eggs but started sharing laying on them from Day 1 instead of waiting til all were laid to start sitting. I only got 4 hatched out of 24 eggs and found 1 chick dead. But the 3 that survived are quite healthy and now we learned that only 1 is apparently the momma bc she's the only one from the 2 that cares for them. She's a total nut case, always squawking and carrying on any time we go out there, so I named her Neurotica. Lol I did bring in the rest of the eggs and figured I'd try to incubate them but turned out it was too late and most of them were not even viable. I would let them try again and hope the next time will give better results and if not then I'll just pull the eggs and incubate from there on in. I figured it would be better for nature to take its course than to incubate but that wasn't the best solution here this time.

 

[Lacrystol]

Yes.I have 2 WH who apparently are both first timers. They laid a total of like 24 eggs but started sharing laying on them from Day 1 instead of waiting til all were laid to start sitting. I only got 4 hatched out of 24 eggs and found 1 chick dead. But the 3 that survived are quite healthy and now we learned that only 1 is apparently the momma bc she's the only one from the 2 that cares for them. She's a total nut case, always squawking and carrying on any time we go out there, so I named her Neurotica. Lol I did bring in the rest of the eggs and figured I'd try to incubate them but turned out it was too late and most of them were not even viable. I would let them try again and hope the next time will give better results and if not then I'll just pull the eggs and incubate from there on in. I figured it would be better for nature to take its course than to incubate but that wasn't the best solution here this time.

I love that name lol
First time mommas aren't the best but she'll get it the second time around.