Do I have Ducklings!??

[5Chances]

Ok. I have been on a roller coaster for LITERALLY 6 WEEKS NOW!!! My Pekin Ethel is broody. She has been steadily sitting I would say since 4/28. She will barely leave her nest. She started this nest about 4/13 & had up to 22 eggs at one point! But I removed the ones I knew to be no good. Again, 4/28 was when she got serious. My question is-- I have been candling as best I could during the day because I was concerned about getting her too upset at night. Today there are 10 eggs-- 6 I marked B with today's date (B for "bad" because when I looked at them I thought they were going to be rotten) but now... I have found this pic on the internet and this is what my 6 look like. Exactly!!! Does this mean I have ducklings in there?? The other 4 I couldn't see this solid mass but like the inside was moving as I moved the egg?? Could those be bad? It was not dark enough to really see veining if it was there but I could see swishing as I rotated the egg. If I have 6 viable eggs I am going to be so ecstatic. Ethel has been so good and taken such care of her eggs. I want her to have her babies!!!!

SHOULD I GO CANDLE ALL OF THEM IN THE DARK-- even if I have to get her off the nest???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Do you have ducks? If they are totally dark than it usually means the embryo is developing. I only candle once or twice and mostly go by days setting.

 

[5Chances]

Do you have ducks? If they are totally dark than it usually means the embryo is developing. I only candle once or twice and mostly go by days setting.

Yes. I have a pair. Ok. Because it took her so long to really figure it out and get serious about her sitting. She has been sitting and barely leaving her nest since around 4/28... but like I said she had SOOO many in there at one time I knew they couldn't all be good, some were clearly rotting. We have 10 in there now. 6 I marked- they looked like the pic and I thought they might be bad but left them anyway. I keep reading about veining... though it hasn't been dark enough so maybe that's why I haven't noticed veins. But I was excited to see this picture. This says the pic is around Day 19? Does that sound right to you? Again, I have no idea when these were actually laid and only approximate of when she started sitting.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Veining is usually seen in the first week or so. Than the egg slowly goes dark. It possible the embryos died because she could cover them all properly. Duck eggs should look and feel different than a chicken egg so you should be able to tell.

If your hen sat on the eggs than didn't, than sat again, it could have killed the eggs too.

Leave eggs too long and they become stinky bombs. Sometimes sniffing them can help determine those eggs.

I would give them so many days than remove them as your hen is probably getting depleted from sitting so long.

 

[5Chances]

Beginning is usually seen in the first week or so. Than the egg slowly goes dark. It possible the embryos died because she could cover them all properly. Duck eggs should look and feel different than a chicken egg so you should be able to tell.

If your hen sat on the eggs than didn't, than sat again, it could have killed the eggs too.

Leave eggs too long and they become stinky bombs. Sometimes sniffing them can help determine those eggs.

I would give them so many days than remove them as your hen is probably getting depleted from sitting so long.

I've never had any of my chickens go broody so I have nothing to compare the difference. I was VERY surprised that my Pekin did but she certainly has been. I thought I would give her 30 days from 4/28 and then remove all eggs but now that I have these 6 marked I thought I would check them daily? Do you have any idea of what I am seeing that seems to be swishing around as I move the other 4 eggs? There's no black spots I can see just bright yellow/orange inside. Could they be fertile but very young? I don't want to do away with any potential ducklings.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If the contents are swishing it usually means they are no good. Everything inside the egg shouldn't move around. You should see the egg become dark, and the air cell enlarge. Orange yellow inside is the yolk color. In the absence of veins I would think they were no good. Give them a week and candle again. I understand the fear of discarding developing egg, we have made that mistake.

 

[5Chances]

If the contents are swishing it usually means they are no good. Everything inside the egg shouldn't move around. You should see the egg become dark, and the air cell enlarge. Orange yellow inside is the yolk color. In the absence of veins I would think they were no good. Give them a week and candle again. I understand the fear of discarding developing egg, we have made that mistake.

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Thank you very much. This is so helpful! Ethel and I are doing this "first time hatch-thing" together so it helps to have this forum with more experienced. Chicken/duck owners. Thank you again!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Next time it can help to mark the original eggs, and limit them to a number that fits under her. Than you remove any extra eggs added daily, and leave her with the marked eggs. It will make the process much easier and less stressful. Good luck.