Red ants inside almost-hatched egg!

[Miss Lydia]

Just candled the egg that there had been movement in and I didn't see any movement and didn't hear any cheeping. Still holding out hope, but it seems unlikely at this point. She's still sitting on 7 eggs, but I don't think any of them are viable.

That doesn't sound good. If you saw movement and now there isn't any. Have you candled them all? can you post pics of a couple while candling maybe we can help decide if it's time to clean out the nest. Have you picked them all up and listened?

 

[lina500]

This one the air bubble moves around.

This is the one that was alive and cheeping a few days ago. We opened it up and it was a perfectly formed, ready-to-hatch dead baby duck.

 

[lina500]

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I am betting on genetic or nutrition issues. Sorry you had a poor hatch

.

 

[lina500]

Thanks. Do you think all of the other ones are goners and should be chucked? All except the one with the spot on the shell in the above photo are still in the nest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks. Do you think all of the other ones are goners and should be chucked? All except the one with the spot on the shell in the above photo are still in the nest.

Have you candled them all? I would by now I think you'll know.
I'm so sorry this happened,

she'll try again and hopefully it will come out better. I'd let her have a small clutch though.
Book mark this chart

 

[lina500]

Thanks for your help (as always).

The photos above in my previous post are the ones that are left. I can tell they are all developed to a certain point, but I don't know if they are still viable. I cannot hear any noise inside and based on the last two, I assume that they are all dead.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for your help (as always).

The photos above in my previous post are the ones that are left. I can tell they are all developed to a certain point, but I don't know if they are still viable. I cannot hear any noise inside and based on the last two, I assume that they are all dead.

Oh gosh I thought that was just a couple of the eggs at different angles. Just woke up.


You should see movement post 43 may have promise the first pic. but you should still see movement.

 

[lina500]

I just candled them all again and removed 3 of the 6 that were definitely going nowhere. Post 42 #1 and #2 and Post 43 #1 are still the nest, but I don't see any signs of movement or hear anything. I'm going to give them another 24 hours and then clear her out. I feel sad about the whole thing, much sadder than I would have thought I would feel.

I'm going to monitor their diet better and let her have another chance (if she wants one). We've (accidentally) added a new male to our little flock, and this duck she sits on the eggs of her own and another female, even if one of them did have a genetic problem--which I don't--I think she would still get a few ducklings out of it because of all of the different combinations. I suspect her diet may not have been perfect and she was just a first-timer. She's been in the nest for 45 days now, so I'm guessing she wasn't doing a perfect job of regulating temperature/turning, etc. Next time, I will also make sure that none of the other ducks or geese can get near the nest in case they disturbed her. Anything else I should consider?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just candled them all again and removed 3 of the 6 that were definitely going nowhere. Post 42 #1 and #2 and Post 43 #1 are still the nest, but I don't see any signs of movement or hear anything. I'm going to give them another 24 hours and then clear her out. I feel sad about the whole thing, much sadder than I would have thought I would feel.

I'm going to monitor their diet better and let her have another chance (if she wants one). We've (accidentally) added a new male to our little flock, and this duck she sits on the eggs of her own and another female, even if one of them did have a genetic problem--which I don't--I think she would still get a few ducklings out of it because of all of the different combinations. I suspect her diet may not have been perfect and she was just a first-timer. She's been in the nest for 45 days now, so I'm guessing she wasn't doing a perfect job of regulating temperature/turning, etc. Next time, I will also make sure that none of the other ducks or geese can get near the nest in case they disturbed her. Anything else I should consider?

It is sad I also feel sorry for the mama who has dedicated herself to sitting for so long to end up with nothing. But I think they get over it quicker than us. Which is good.
Other than good diet and giving her some privacy will help. I think your right this happens more than we know hatches don't make it for one reason other the other, Just wasn't
meant to be this time, I think you'll see ducklings next time. She'll be more mature and other things will be better too. Giving her a small clutch her next brood will help with success too. One of my first timers was a dedicated broody but when ducklings started hatching she tried to kill the first one by attacking it, Thank goodness I found the lil one before she had killed it, The other egg the duckling shrink wrapped and because mom was sitting and I was a newbie to hatching I didn't intervene. Next year she was again excellent broody and I was ready to take ducklings as soon as they hatched, she was the best mama. you just never know.