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Farming Friends Forum » Ducks

1. leanne
   Member

   Hi, Pancake is still sitting on two eggs - they are around 18 days now. We have candled them and they have a small air pocket at the top with a greyish mass but no veins. As this is my first time (and I had no intention of letting this happen but am now quite excited!), does this development sound normal. Pancake is constantly sitting on them and only comes out for a 10 minute wander each day when we open the pen before going back in the hut. She is still mating with Humphrey though. We also found a third egg cracked and in the pond - I've heard that if the duck knows an egg is not fertile she will remove it from the others so maybe that's what happened to this one. Thanks, Leanne

   Posted 3 years ago #

2. campbell ridge
   Administrator

   Hi Leanne,
   i have posted a link to candling eggs so you can see what you should expect.
   there should be veins visible and a dark mass which is the Embryo. If there is a bad smell or staining of the shell, then they are not viable.

   http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html
   http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/Embryology/candling.shtml
   http://www.duckeggs.com/hatching-eggs.html

   im sure there are many others if you do a search.

   Sarah

   Sarah L

   Posted 3 years ago #

3. leanne
   Member

   Hi Sarah, Thanks for the links. I am sure that they are viable from the descriptions and they definitely don't smell. Hopefully by next weekend they will begin to hatch. Pancake is still quite aggressive if you try and go near her - presumably she will get back to normal once the eggs are hatched and also start laying again. Dandelion who is an indian runner has not laid any eggs since Pancake started sitting - is this normal?
   Leanne

   Posted 3 years ago #

4. campbell ridge
   Administrator

   Yes this is normal. Is Dandelion keeping her company? Mine worked as a team and all three including George sat together for the whole duration!
   :)
   Sarah

   Sarah L

   Posted 3 years ago #

5. leanne
   Member

   Dandelion and Humphrey tend to sit outside the hut for most of the time - I think Pancake has made her nest so wide that they can't fit in there easily! Dandelion and Pancake tend to fight over Humphrey's attention when they're out together but apart from that Dandelion and Humphrey don't seem fussed over the sitting :)
   Leanne

   Posted 3 years ago #

6. pinkpoultry
   Member

   My duck is called Pancake too! I named him Pancake because he lies very flat!!

   Posted 3 years ago #

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