Please help!!! Is my duckling alive?

[ellie97]

This is only my 2nd time hatching ducklings, and while last time I ordered eggs, this time I only have a single egg that Mom duck raised for a few weeks before I found the nest and put one of the eggs in the incubator. The mom is a Muscovy, but dad is a Khaki Campbell. I really think this duckling may either be dead or have something seriously wrong with it. I have had it in the incubator for 5 days now, and have seen almost no changes, other than the dark mass maybe getting a little bigger. The air sac does not seem big enough (only takes up maybe 15% of the egg) and although I can see some movement around the air sac, there is a tiny hole in the air sac area that is oozing a little, though it doesn't smell. I know this usually means a rotting egg, but how would a dead embryo appear to be moving? I just don't want to keep up false hope if there's no way this duckling is alive. I will try to post a photo of the egg.

 

[ellie97]

 

[Dr. Todd]

Definitely dead and appears to have been that way for a while.

 

[ellie97]

Okay, thank you. Do you know why the mass appears to be moving? Is this just the light flickering or something?

 

[PoultryQueen101]

When an egg dies, the yucky stuff inside rolls around like water in a bottle. I agree its dead. Try piercing a small hole in the top and looking in. If its green or brown, its rotten.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@Lacrystol??

 

[Lacrystol]

@Lacrystol ??

I'm here? LOL

 

[Lacrystol]

STICKY!!!

 

[Lacrystol]

It may NOT be dead, it Does look like it's STICKY though


What's the status as far as today?

 

[ellie97]

It was dead. It started stinking and oozing more. Thank you though!