OMG I am so excited !!!!!!

[DukesDucks]

As I understand it the eggs don't start developing until they are consistently warm by a broody duck. Then they all start developing together so hatch together. The older eggs might already be too old to develop.
By candling you can eliminate the duds as you find them. I usually start on day 10 because I find the results clearer. Then I candle several more times. Some ducks will remove eggs from the nest. I think they know which ones aren't going to make it. I have candled these ones and have always found the duck was right.
We are all just doing our best. Don't think of dud eggs as killing them. Some won't have been fertilized. Some won't fully develop. Some won't survive the hatch. For me is is easier to accept a dud egg than a weak duckling which fails to survive. That is not bad - that is just the natural way of things.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Canadian Wind]

Remember, with the mixed species they won't all take.

 

[ProudRedneck]

By candling you can eliminate the duds as you find them. I usually start on day 10 because I find the results clearer.

As I find them? Your hen has been sitting on them 24/7 when you're checking them, right? This leads me to believe two things:

1. You will know as soon as the hen lays it.
2. Hen will continue to lay new eggs while she is sitting

Don't think of dud eggs as killing them.

Nah, I meant duds in the way of not fertilized since I have an SA drake x'ing with a Muscovy hen.

eggs don't start developing until they are consistently warm by a broody duck

This is where I am confused... Don't I have to wait until she's sitting 24/7 in order to see via candle which ones are duds/not fertilized?

easier to accept a dud egg than a weak duckling which fails to survive

Most definitely agree, definitely better on me since I wouldn't have a chance to get attached further than I already am with this being Daffy's first clutch.

 

[DukesDucks]

1. You will know as soon as the hen lays it.
2. Hen will continue to lay new eggs while she is sitting

The duck does not sit 24/7 but are spending most of their time on the nest. They take breaks for food and water. I'm assuming the food and water are outside the coop as it should be.
1. Don't know how you can tell an egg is good as soon as it is laid without cracking it open. Candling a fresh egg is not going to tell you whether it is viable. As I mentioned, they don't start developing until consistent heat from a broody duck. This means they hatch more or less together.
2. I date my eggs so when the duck goes broody, any further additions are removed.
Once you have decided she is broody, I would also remove any older eggs - opinion varies as to whether this is eggs that are 7 to 14 days old. If you have other ducks they may try to sneak in eggs which need to be removed.

Nah, I meant duds in the way of not fertilized since I have an SA drake x'ing with a Muscovy hen.

Even eggs that appear to be developing normally will stop developing Chicks die in the egg late in the process. You need to accept that not all fertilized eggs that show development at any stage are going to result in a healthy duckling.

Don't I have to wait until she's sitting 24/7 in order to see via candle which ones are duds/not fertilized?

Don't get too hung up on a specific date. You will drive yourself crazy when it comes to hatch date - too early - too late. I try to see if I think the duck is consistently then decide a hatch date with a plus or minus 4 or 5 days.

 

[ProudRedneck]

My main fear right now is, knowing the low fertilization rate of Muscovy crosses and because this is my first time ever with ducks, I want to make darn sure I don't throw away an egg that could possibly be a baby, I couldn't live with the guilt. When candling, I don't know if I am doing things right, looking for the right things, candling too soon, etc so I don't want to throw away a good egg (fertilized) by accident.

I do have every egg documented with a number on them that corresponds with a spreadsheet that has the date laid, and their weights on the day they were laid. I haven't weighed them since nor have I candled any of them since I did her first three, because I learned on here that I wouldn't see anything until she starts sitting on them and I don't know if she has been sitting on them enough yet to make a difference. Thoughts?

Like I mentioned previously, throughout the nights she is sitting on the eggs full time and will do so all the way up until I let Daisy out to forage for the day and then Daffy follows.

Daffy only returns to the nest during the day if:

1. She's wanting to lay another egg
2. She thinks I might be disturbing the eggs, but then only does so if she doesnt see Daisy running to protect it.
3. She is locked back up in the run while we are gone, then she will sit on them again.

This is the layout of the coop/run
8ft L x 4ft W x 4ft Tall

1. Oyster Shell
2. Food/Gravity Feeder
3. Gravity fed water bowl for drinking
4. Bathing/drinking water
5. Poultry Grit
6. Nest w/eggs in the back right corner

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.metzerfarms.com/candling-pictures.html

I have seen life at day 4 when I candled go ahead and get some of the older ones candled. Usually after day 10 fertility goes down so there are some you can go ahead and toss after you've candled. And then adding that the drake isn't Muscovy means the fertility rate drops even more. If you can post pics of them being candled.

 

[ProudRedneck]

https://www.metzerfarms.com/candling-pictures.html

I have seen life at day 4 when I candled go ahead and get some of the older ones candled. Usually after day 10 fertility goes down so there are some you can go ahead and toss after you've candled. And then adding that the drake isn't Muscovy means the fertility rate drops even more. If you can post pics of them being candled.

Ok, is it important to keep the eggs horizontal while handling, or the pointed end up or down while handling?

And what about returning them to the nest? Do I need to make sure I put them back in the same direction they were facing, for instance, the numbered side was facing down on one egg vs numbered side facing up on another?

 

[Miss Lydia]

She'll arrange them like she wants them once you put them back. I just pick the egg up and place fat end on my small LED flash light [holding onto the egg of course]

 

[ProudRedneck]

She'll arrange them like she wants them once you put them back. I just pick the egg up and place fat end on my small LED flash light [holding onto the egg of course]

Ok doing this after I document the NEW EGG !!!!!