my duck eggs are turning black on hatching day... help

[scotty2212]

Ok do today is day 28 in the incubator. Im hatching mallards and this morning I noticed that some of the eggs were getting darker and there were lines going through them... are they going to hatch?? Please help... thanks

 

[Kleonaptra]

How many eggs do you have in there, and are they all doing the same thing?

When the ducklings have dark patterns on them - like mallards do - you may be seeing the ducking itself inside. Sometimes the stripes are their little claws, you may have an internal pip going on.

In my experience - Ive only incubated a few times Im no expert - some of the eggs will be going bad, even if you were positive they were developing and good. Others will be just ready to pip and everything is fine. Remember, nature doesnt intend for every single fertilized egg to hatch, 60% is really good.

 

[girls and guineas]

Are duck eggs harder to hatch than chicken eggs?? I just had 2 batches of duck eggs hatch, and there were 3-6 eggs left!!! Maybe some weren't fertilized?? With my silkies, I have 95-100% hatch!!!

 

[girls and guineas]

After the 2nd day, the mothers decided not to sit any more--and several eggs had babies in that had holes made, but they died in the shell??? I tried putting them under a silkie hen, but the ducklings didn't make it!!! So sad!!!

 

[scotty2212]

Thank you so much... I really appreciated it. I woke up this morning and saw a little crack... should I open the incubator and look at the others. Because I cant see if yhe other eggs have started

 

[Kleonaptra]

Up the humidity if you can. My incubator is a really cheap one so I cant actually up the humidity, but I put a bit of warm water in to make it steamy inside. Duck eggs tend to have tougher shells than chicken eggs and harder membranes. Making some steam will wet down the membranes and make it easier for the ducks to break out.

Ducks take AGES. If you can see pipping, dont help for at least 12 hrs. I know its hard.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

I strongly recommend this page. Ive read it easily 50 times! It works for chickens, ducks, squabs, anything. Whenever I felt I had to help, I came and read the page again, just to sort out my motives and next steps.

I have assisted all my ducks, but only from external pips - I have never attempted to help a duck from internal pip. This is only because I am so occupied with the first eggs that external pip I dont have time to keep checking the others. Then Im run off my feet with ducklings and I kinda forget the other eggs!

How many eggs do you have? Hopefully you get at least half hatch out.

 

[lolaj]

Ok do today is day 28 in the incubator. Im hatching mallards and this morning I noticed that some of the eggs were getting darker and there were lines going through them... are they going to hatch?? Please help... thanks

I had one out of 5 eggs in lockdown that was turning blackish on the shell....it was the only one that hatched, so their is hope for yours. Let us know what happens.

 

[Duck Drover]

Sometimes the shell will look darker where the air cell is located when the ducklings pip internally. I can usually see a bill sticking up and moving around but sometimes I will see a color change, usually a dark swirl shape, and know that the duckling pipped internally before I even candle. I am not sure if this is what you are seeing but I figured I would mention it in case that is what is happening. At the end of development the duckling looks like a dark blob shape without being able to see many other shapes or veining, so a dark egg with a tipped air cell is a good thing while a clear egg is a disappointment.

 

[Broody Dave]

Sometimes the shell will look darker where the air cell is located when the ducklings pip internally. I can usually see a bill sticking up and moving around but sometimes I will see a color change, usually a dark swirl shape, and know that the duckling pipped internally before I even candle. I am not sure if this is what you are seeing but I figured I would mention it in case that is what is happening. At the end of development the duckling looks like a dark blob shape without being able to see many other shapes or veining, so a dark egg with a tipped air cell is a good thing while a clear egg is a disappointment.

Hi, I have just been looking at the comments on here, I am really stuck with our one and only duck egg, it is turning a month old and still hasn't hatched, however it is a dark blob like you have described in your comment and has a clear air pocket, when I candle it it looks very full, and dark. However I also feel movement in the egg when I hold it close in my hand or rest it under my neck. I am not sure if that is a duckling moving around or if it is dead. I have a horrible feeling it is dead as I would have thought it should have hatched by now. Not sure what to do now. Shall I give it a few more days or get rid? Worried it will explode if it's just gases and fluid in there.