My female rouen & her eggs

[AshVanHorne]

Good evening. I know it is late in the season but my year old rouen had been sitting on these 3 eggs since the 17th of July. And I'm not certain but when I candled I beleive I saw a clump of veins off the yolk area, anyways just yesterday my husband noticed that one of the eggs is turning blackish. The dad would be a peaking. Im not a pro at this and we are learning as we go. I'm probably just wishing they were babies, since loosing my Ferdi boy. Anyways any help or thoughts would be appreciated, my rouen is very very protective and does not like anything or anyone near her nest so we have pretty much left her alone, except giving her fresh food and water every day. So she dosent have to leave her eggs for food and water.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok, if you are pretty sure of the dates, these eggs should be close to hatching. I would take them one at a time and candle them by shining a flashlight into the fat end of the egg. Try to do this in a dark room. The eggs are far enough along that any that are alive and have a chance of hatching will show movement. If you move the light or tap a fingernail on the shell sometimes it makes them move more. The movement will be obvious. Movement can pretty clearly be seen in duck eggs after 15 days of incubation, so even if you are off on your dates, if they are viable you should see something. Fingers crossed one is close to hatching!

 

[AshVanHorne]

So even the egg that looks dark, you think it might be ok. I want to candle them but I'm so scared to move them or upset mama duck, she is so protective of them.

 

[AshVanHorne]

Please, I'm still so confused about the eggs, and how my mama duck is acting. She dosent want anyone near the nest, so I'm scared that if I go in to check the eggs that it will stress her out and she wont sit on them anymore.

 

[Duckie doodle]

I personally would try and candle them so you know how far along they are and if they are still alive.

 

[chickens really]

Definitely won't stop her from setting. I'm confused as why the eggs are scattered in the nest though?
Definitely Candle them and if not viable destroy the nest and lock her out to break her from being Broody.

 

[AshVanHorne]

The reason the eggs are spread out like that is my hubby took the picture to show me., and she had just gotten up and was adjusting her nest

 

[Wv Farm Mom]

Curious if you have ducklings yet? If your date is correct then yesterday or today you should see some activity. My momma Rouen usually keeps the ducklings under her for a full 24-36 hours. If you can get close enough to her you can usually see movement.

 

[PirateGirl]

I would not worry too much about upsetting mama or the eggs, I would candle them if your dates are correct and you have not seen ducklings. If they are not viable we want mama to stop sitting for the sake of her own health. Also, if they are not viable, you are risking a serious rotten egg explosion if you don't remove the eggs. When I stole eggs from under my broody to candle, I only took one at a time so she wouldn't get too upset. It only takes a couple seconds to sneak a peak with your flashlight.

 

[AshVanHorne]

So my daughter and I candled them, I think I'm close on my dates, but I'm thinking maybe by the end of the month? The darkest egg candling from the bigger end all the dark is at the top of the egg. But it does appear to be moving and her and I both saw fluttering towards the middle of the egg. The second egg appears to be the same thingish. When I candled it looks different on the inside. Both eggs are very heavy and very warm. Mama duck instantly went to work covering the eggs back up. I'm still somewhat confused. Im really not good at this.