Green liquid inside duck eggs?? **Updated w/a picture** 2nd page

[19hhbelgian]

I have a few duck eggs that I opened up because the babies had not pipped (air cell too small), and I found green liquid inside the egg. The ducklings are still moving, so I'm wondering what I'm seeing? I had seen this in eggs that were quitters, and I had thought it was because they were quitters... Now I don't have a clue. I can get pics if needed, I just wanted to get the eggs back in the bator since the ducklings were still moving around. Any ideas are welcome

Thanks!

 

[paddock36]

Have you cleaned your incubator in between hatches? Maybe it's a bacteria.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Yes. I scrubbed it, and sanitized it the last time. I do not use the incubator they develop in for hatching, so it stays relatively clean, but I do still clean it. I had also thought of a bacteria, but I was very surprised at how active the ducklings are - I would have thought they'd be "on their way out" from the looks of this goop

 

[CityChicker]

Are you washing the eggs? I have noticed that sometimes that happens when really dirty eggs have been washed. I think it might push bacteria into the egg causing that gunk to form.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
No. I never wash any of my hatching eggs. I know there is a coating over the shell to protect the inside of the egg. Only time a hatching egg got wash was by my hubby, by accident. I tried to incubate it, but it didn't do anything... My ducks do lay in the dirt, no matter what I do, they lay in the messiest places possible - could it be because of that I wonder? What a pain! These are silkie duck eggs, which are difficult as it is (hence the small air cell as mentioned in the original post). My ducks eat the same thing as my chickens, and they live in the coop with them. They get to go outside as much as they want and have a tub for splashing and taking baths.

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Duck eggs always have nasty green stuff inside them, even when the baby hatches. I have no idea what it is, but it's normal.

 

[CityChicker]

Oh, I can relate with the eggs! That is ducks for you. My Runners especially seem to like to lay in the worst places possible. It doesn't matter how many clean, dry nests they have, they will instead lay right in the mud. LOL

I would still strongly think bacteria. What the source of it is, I am not so sure. I can't imagine off-hand what else it would be though.

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
LOL, I don't think it is normal at all. The vast majority of our eggs we hatch here definitely do not have nasty green stuff in them.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
LOL, I don't think it is normal at all. The vast majority of our eggs we hatch here definitely do not have nasty green stuff in them.

I must agree... I've hatched out a few ducklings, and they haven't had this green stuff in the egg.

Could it be because of having too much extra liquid inside the egg? I have recently turned my humidity down, and have been misting the eggs a little more frequently (2 quick mistings/day rather than 1) in order to try to get the air cells large enough for them to hatch. If they were drowning like I suspect was happening, and these 3 eggs would have been in the incubator during the higher humidity, could this be the result of too much moisture? Hope that made sense! I just had so many thoughts going through my head at once

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Quote:
LOL, I don't think it is normal at all. The vast majority of our eggs we hatch here definitely do not have nasty green stuff in them.

The ducks I've had hatch always have a glob of green goo inside their shells.