Question about a duck egg I found

[WonderDuck]

Hello all,

I recently had a mallard lay 9 beautiful eggs by my mailbox. Sadly, one night someone or something stole all the eggs. The neighbor found one lonely egg in her yard and I tried my best to save it. I had it wrapped in a towel and laying on a heating pad on low as I wasn't sure if it was viable. I waited a few days and candles it. I never saw anything that looked like an embryo. I had pretty much given up on it and was about to give it a proper burial, but decided to check it just once more. To my surprise, I saw a small embryo and it's beating heart and some tiny veins! I ran out and bought an incubator at tractor supply in hopes it would help. I think something went terribly wrong though as I see no heartbeat today and the beginning of a ring. My question here after this long story: is it safe to assume my little duck baby has died?

 

[nuthatched]

A blood ring is the sign of an early quitter, you did the best you could but the odds weren't in it's favor.

 

[WonderDuck]

A blood ring is the sign of an early quitter, you did the best you could but the odds weren't in it's favor.

I was afraid that was the case. Happened so fast. Alive yesterday and gone today