Unexpected ducklings, different ages

[Kiki]

I would remove the gauze and leave the egg alone.

 

[KCNC06]

Just realized I didn't come back with an update on Eggie. Unfortunately it didn't make it. I didn't do anything else to it, just made sure humidity was up and applied a bit of coconut oil a couple more times. I didn't want to do anything to the inner membrane since I still saw veins. Somewhere around 1.5-2 days (can't remember that long ago) after I opened the air cell end a bit, I noticed the veins were gone but the ducky wasn't moving anymore. Left him in the incubator for a few more hrs just in case he was sleeping but when I checked again I was sure he was dead. I attempted to do an eggtopsy to find out what was in there but was way too grossed out. He was still slimy when I opened the inner membrane but he was cold and...stiff. I did find a face before I got grossed out. It was tucked in kinda towards the middle of the egg not towards the shell side.

On a positive note, Bill Bill is still doing great. He likes visiting the big ducklings but also likes to snuggle. I had to try the sock diapers (or "pants" as we call them) because getting pooped on is nasty. Our dogs (not small dogs) and cats are scared of him because he chase's them so he can peck them in the nose and eyes. The big ducklings follow him like he's their leader. They go from running every which way to getting in a perfect line of ducks once Bill's leading them.

 

[KCNC06]

Bill Bill wearing his snuggle pants.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a sweet picture I love Bill bills snuggle pants thanks for updating very sorry you lost the little one.

 

[KCNC06]

I had accepted that Eggie was unlikely to become Ducky so I wasn't too upset. Plus we found that dang super broody Pekin sitting on another pile of eggs. I don't know how she manages to hide them so well for so long or why she seems to ALWAYS be broody. I thought Pekins weren't a very broody breed. I had 100+ baby gardenias, hydrangeas, azaleas and crape myrtles in nursery pots against the side of my house this past winter (I had a bit too much success starting plants from cuttings, still don't know what to do with all the gardenia plants). Anyway, the Pekin girls pulled tags from plants and used them to line their nests. Which were made in the nursery pots. They ate a good number of gardenia plants.
Now, if anything happens to Bill Bill... I'll probably be crushed. I've made a point not to have a favorite with my chickens and ducks because predators always seemed to know which were my favorite.