New mom, thanks to goose stepping on egg

[CrazyBirdWoman]

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. I have 3 khaki campbell ducks, 2 drakes, 1 goose and 1 gander. One duck had a clutch of 6 eggs. About 4 weeks ago --- 2 hatched, 2 were dead inside, 2 weren't fertile, I believe. Second duck went broody shortly after, 12 eggs in nest back then. She has slowly weeded out eggs, and was down to 8.

Five nights ago, either the goose or the gander stepped on her nest, breaking 1 egg open. Thankfully I was there, and saw the little duckling moving inside the egg. I brought it in to our incubator, and to my surprise it hatched that night. Although the duckling showed very little energy that night, by morning she (or he, don't know) was energetic and dried off. We kept her in the incubator for 2 days, then moved her to a bin with a comfort heating brooder plate.

She has imprinted on me, which is fine, as I'm a stay-at-home mom. I take her out daily to dabble with her "aunty" and "cousins". They come close, as if to make sure I'm doing things right, lol.

My concern is that her siblings have yet to start hatching. She is healthy as an ox, hyper and attentive, eating, drinking and pooping well... so why hasn't an other egg even started the process? And no, I haven't candled the eggs... usually I don't interfere with broody hens/ducks and their eggs.

 

[Amiga]

Well, without candling we won't know the score. I am not a hatcher, by the way. I have read some about it on BYC. And I have no criticism of your approach it just seems to me to be a waiting game at this point, I think. I cannot think of anything I have read that can catch eggs up on development . . . hmmmm.

 

[CrazyBirdWoman]

Thanks Amiga for your reply. Unfortunately, my answer came this morning. Another egg was trampled, and the duckling was dead by the time we got to the barn. Since "mom" duck had left the barn, for over an hour, she didn't seem interested in returning to her nest. I took the 4 eggs that were remaining, all very very cold.

I accidentally dropped one egg on my counter while trying to candle, and it exploded, stinky, yellow grossness. Two eggs had fully grown ducklings, but no life inside. Another egg wasn't fertile, and the other eggs that were there yesterday, were no where to be found today.

I have cleaned out her nest area,and put new straw down.


On a happy note, the little duckling I've taken inside is doing fantastically. I take her outside several times a day to dabble with the rest of the flock. One "aunty" shared her water silo while we were in the backyard. They seem to have accepted her as just another bird on the farm, lol.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, joys and sorrows....