When is early too early..

[adubsroit]

..in regards to tossing a duck egg?? Today is day 6 of incubation and for the hell of it I candled. Nada. No veins, no small dark spots, just a very clear yolk that moves around quite easily. This comes to no real surprise, this would be the duck in questions first real clutch and from observation, her drake has a lot of room of improvement when it comes to doing the job right. The other day he innocently tried to mount her.. diagonally, and then in trying to do the deed ended up making his copulation to thin air.. twice.

The weather in Eastern Oregon is less than satisfactory for baby making, we had a ton of snow. Now we have a ton of rain and wind, and at night we freeze some. So, it's been roughly a week with no notable gestation.. For the sake of avoiding any stink, and keeping room for the other eggs that should hatch, is now as good a time as ever to pitch them? In actuality, I have all spring to hatch more Saxony's.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If the egg is very white I'd toss it, usually I can tell by day 3-4 if it's developing. But you can always wait a few more days to be totally sure, it wouldn't hurt.

 

[adubsroit]

Thanks. Slipped my mind to mention this, but the air sac has grown. Figured with all the keeping track most people do with their incubations that I should attempt some as well. Before setting the eggs they were all candled and air sac circles were drawn on the shell with pencil. After the last candling it is obvious that the air sac has grown.. Still no veins or anything, and yes: the eggs are very white and easily seen through.

Will the air sac continue to grow even in the absence of an embryo?

 

[destinduck]

Oh yeah. That's what eventually makes them exsplode. I would get rid of it. By day 7 you know darn well if fertile

 

[shelleyd2008]

The air sac doesn't exactly 'grow', it gets bigger because the egg is drying out. The egg loses 'water' through evaporation.