Parasite in duck eggs

[BelovedBirds]

So I currently have 6 duck eggs in the incubator, bought from someone else, I have reason to believe that at least two eggs are fertilised, but are only on day 2 of incubation.
I usually candle my eggs before incubation, and a couple days in to check one or two from the batch. Reason being I simply enjoy watching those beginning stages of life before the week in check for growth.
Anyway, I digress.
When candling, one of the eggs seemed to have a wiggly line in, pale, not veins. Like a worm. I checked the other eggs and sure enough, they all have the same thing, some have multiple and I can actually see well defined parasitic worms moving around in the egg.
I believe two of the eggs are actually developing, but if the parasites are going to kill or harm developing embryos, I'd rather spare them of it and "cull" the eggs while we're in the early stages. Does anyone know of this happening? Can they hatch? Will they be harmed? Should I give up and get new eggs?
Its no trouble to me to keep them, but I'm worried about the embryos and want to do whatever is more humane for them. Thanks in advance!

 

[casportpony]

Can you post pictures?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Before you remove them can you post pictures of the eggs being candled? Are you sure you are not mistaking the Chalaza for parasites? The Chalaza looks like ropes that keep the yolk in place and can extend from the top and bottom of the egg.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Before you remove them can you post pictures of the eggs being candled? Are you sure you are not mistaking the Chalaza for parasites? The Chalaza looks like ropes that keep the yolk in place and can extend from the top and bottom of the egg.
View attachment 2910886

I'll try and get a picture in a little bit, I'm pretty sure it isnt the chalaza though, I saw it moving, while the egg was still, definitely looked like deliberate movements. I'll try and get a picture!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Before you remove them can you post pictures of the eggs being candled? Are you sure you are not mistaking the Chalaza for parasites? The Chalaza looks like ropes that keep the yolk in place and can extend from the top and bottom of the egg.
View attachment 2910886

frustratingly it wont show up in the pictures, doesnt help that my candler is terrible and I usually use my phone torch instead... In person it looks like a dark head, and a long thin body, and it wiggles about, presumably on the inside of the egg shell. They seem slightly less active than they were last night, they only move a little bit now. One of the eggs is definitely developing, and started veining, I'm just unsure if it can survive under the circumstances. I may remove one of the unfertilised looking ones tonight, then open it in the morning to see what is going on and be sure they are parasites, I think that seems the wisest option?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

frustratingly it wont show up in the pictures, doesnt help that my candler is terrible and I usually use my phone torch instead... In person it looks like a dark head, and a long thin body, and it wiggles about, presumably on the inside of the egg shell. They seem slightly less active than they were last night, they only move a little bit now. One of the eggs is definitely developing, and started veining, I'm just unsure if it can survive under the circumstances. I may remove one of the unfertilised looking ones tonight, then open it in the morning to see what is going on and be sure they are parasites, I think that seems the wisest option?

Is this your first time incubating eggs? At day 2 I would leave them including the unfertilized egg. Many people wait until at least day 5 sometimes even up to 10 before removing eggs.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Is this your first time incubating eggs? At day 2 I would leave them including the unfertilized egg. Many people wait until at least day 5 sometimes even up to 10 before removing eggs.

Its not my first time but I am still fairly new to it, I dont remove eggs until at least day 7 or rule out any being fertilised until then, just to be safe, but I only consider it because of what I saw in them. Wouldn't normally candle all of them so early on, not until at least day 5, but as I say, I always choose one to keep a closer eye on to watch for those early signs. Then again with the other eggs at several days in, but when I saw parasites I made sure to check the others and saw the same thing. So I'm a little worried about them now

 

[BelovedBirds]

Good news! that egg I suspected fertilised is, and is now growing strong and healthy on day 20. I'm still unsure what I saw to begin with, but havent seen it again since and everything seems to be going smoothly!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Good news! that egg I suspected fertilised is, and is now growing strong and healthy on day 20. I'm still unsure what I saw to begin with, but havent seen it again since and everything seems to be going smoothly!

That’s great news !! Wonder what it was that you saw. Keep us updated on the hatch.
How many of your eggs were fertile ?
I currently have a staggered hatch going mine are day 24,23,20,19,18,17 I have two incubators going to separate them for lockdown
Hoping to do it in pairs if they all cooperate lol

 

[BelovedBirds]

That’s great news !! Wonder what it was that you saw. Keep us updated on the hatch.
How many of your eggs were fertile ?
I currently have a staggered hatch going mine are day 24,23,20,19,18,17 I have two incubators going to separate them for lockdown
Hoping to do it in pairs if they all cooperate lol

Wow that's really staggered! Thankfully they can hatched in pairs (hopefully lol) Best of luck!
Mine is also staggered- Your comment came at a perfect time actually! I'd love your thoughts on this. The duckling is about to start day 24, but internally pipped a few hours ago, (I can clearly see the beak in the air cell, and I do believe he is through the membrane rather than just pushing against it, though I did second guess that as he moved) a little early! So I have stopped turning him now.

My dilema: I bought one batch of eggs and just this one was fertilised, so in fear of a lone duckling I bought a second half dozen and two were fertilised but one quit very early due to being damaged. Now I just have the two, one about to start day 24 and one on day 20. So also staggered!

I actually created a thread recently asking for advice on lockdowning, since my second incubator is pretty bad quality and I don't want to risk either egg. And it was suggested to lockdown both eggs together a day late for the older egg, which would be about 3 days early for the second.
But with an internal pip now, I've stopped turning this egg. I'm thinking maybe the second will also come a little early, but will keep turning it until the first egg externally pips. So I dont end up losing humidity by opening the incubator.

I'm a little worried about the higher humidity affecting the younger egg though. Doing a staggered hatch yourself, do you have any thoughts on the matter?
This is my first time incubating duck eggs, so I'm very open to criticism and advice!