Duckmomma Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 They look so cosy in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 I SAW SOMETHING!!!!!! Last night I was turning the eggs and the light through the incubator lid shone through one of the eggs and I saw a bubble thing at the top! I thought it was just a shadow but it is most definatly something! I checked the others, nothing . This morning I was turning them again, and I checked one at random and it has one too! It's not the same as last nights I put my name on the one I saw last night . This is what I saw! Here's the website: http://backyardchickens.com/LC-candling.html YAY! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Thats the air sac, it's a good sign Wait till you see an embryo move You will have to make sure you don't drop the egg when that happens A few more days and you should see blood vessels forming It's so exciting isn't it? Do I remember rightly? you got a candler in with the incubator kit? I use one of those little keyring led lights, it's surprising how powerfull the light is from one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I use one of those little keyring led lights, it's surprising how powerfull the light is from one of those. I use an led in the end of a pen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I was too mean to splash out on a candler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Yep, I've got a candler . It's less expensive to buy a set of incubator, brooder lamp, candler, feeding/drinking holders etc. It was about £96 all together. I can't wait to candle them, I will have to wait a good few days though . I'm getting worried that only 2 are fertile, I don't mind having just two ducklings, I just don't want a lone one. We have no breeders at all that we could buy day old ducklings off . Someone is at home pretty much all day so if we did get only one duckling someone would be with it all the time. Ideally I would like at least 3 hatch. Last night there was only one with an air sac, this morning there was another one, I'm hoping the others are just a bit slower and will catch up in the next few days . What do you think? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 You wont be able to tell this early on how many are fertile. Its hard enough later on. I have 5 eggs under a broody and don't know whether to try candling them. Theyre supermarket eggs so fertility isnt likely anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Don't worry It's too soon to tell, in a few days you will start to see blood vessels You have six eggs to start with so have a very good chance of at least three hatching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Ok Thank you . I really hope we get a good hatch. The lady I got them from was pretty confident that they will be fertile. I won't get my hopes up this early though. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Hi Chicken Another day or so and you might be able to see the spidery blood vessels in the eggs I checked my Bantam eggs today and can just make out the little embryo's I think they start to develope a little bit sooner than duck eggs as their incubation time is three weeks as opposed to a ducks four weeks. Unfortunatly I think my goose eggs are no good They have been in the incubaor for a week now and still no sign of blood vessels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 *Holds hands up* Ok, I done a REALLY naughty thing last night. I candled the eggs But, I did have a very valid reason for it....Which I will think of later....... The humidity chamber needed topping up, which needs the lid taken off anyway. So while I was there I candled them. I first candled my egg, nothing but the air sac I candled the others and they have like an orange/red yolk. It was like a big fuzz of red . Not too sure what it means, but five out of six had this red fuzz in them. Not spider like veins, but a fuzz. They have only been in their four days (five if you count the first 24 hours.) Does this mean they are fertile? Sorry to hear about the goose eggs I would give them a few more days, I think they are incubated for about 50 days aren't they? It may be too early yet. What where you planning to do with them? The bantam eggs sound promising though xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I incubated 6 duck eggs, 5 were fertile. I candle chicken eggs at 3 days and can already see veins but with the duck eggs it was about 5/6 days before I saw veins and I was sure about fertility by day 8 - I suppose this is about right as they're incubated for a week longer. I had 5 little ducks jumping around in the eggs then quite late on, just before they came of cradle 3 of them died. So I had 2 hatch. I think the late deaths may be because duck eggs are much more responsive to variations in humidity, and I may have been candling them too much (I candle my chicken eggs every couple of days and have always had good hatches).. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Chicken How are your eggs doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 Fine One had to be thrown away because it was completly clear. When I smashed it, it stank . I'm glad I threw it away when I did otherwise it probably would have exploded . I candled them at day six, saw one with vains and the other had a bright orange/red yolk. I'm going to candle them again soon, it's now day nine so hopefully it will be a bit clearer if they are fertile. I'm worried that only one is fertile, if so, I will phone the very few breeders in our area on the weekend and ask for some day old ducklings to keep the lonely one company, that's if it hatches at all. The breeders near us only really do chickens though. I will let you know how I get on *gulp* How are your banty eggs doing? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hiya Banty eggs look fine so far found this web site , it has pictures of inside the egg day by day http://www.pekinbantams.com/breeding.asp#incubation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 14, 2008 Author Share Posted March 14, 2008 Thank you for the link . Well I candled the eggs, one if definitly fertile The others I'm not sure quite yet . But I'm keeping them in anyway. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 YAY! Lonely duckling has pipped! I went to top the water up, ready for the hatch, and I whistled at the eggs for a bit of encouragement, and he turned over to show a dent in the shell, he rolls over when I whistle or cheep at it! I've left the other eggs in there, just in case, but I doubt much will happen with them! Ohhhhh, I'm soooooooo excited! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Hi Chicken How did the hatch go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hi Duckmomma, the hatch went perfect . I'd been watching all night, he wasn't making any progress, just a tiny hole. I got u at about 11.30am to make a cuppa and when I came back he was half way out . Then about a minute later, with one big kick he was out . I nearly missed it all too. He is fine, up and about, just a bit lonely, so I'm looking for a friend for him. Anyway, here are some pictures: Pipped..... Still pipping...... Still Pipping..... 13 hours later..... Getting some were.... Nearly there.... Dadaaaaaaaaaaaa Decided he doesn't want to be out in a huge incubator, so curls up. Still curled up... Slowly getting used to being in the big wide world... 4 hours later.... Very tired... Fluffed up and awake... Still getting cuddled... And a few of his first bath time. As soon as I put his dish of water in his brooder, he was in it straight away . So I thought he would like a nice warm bath. He stands for some reason like an Indian Runner . Little swim... And a warm drink... Hope you like them! How did your hatches go Duckmomma? xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Oh lovely. He's adorable. Dont tempt me I DONT have the space You with your one duckling and me with my lone chick. I think they need friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Oh he is adorable! I hope you find a friend for him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 OOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Soooooooooo sweet Worth the wait I would say My lot were a disaster,one incubator packed up in the last few days I lost three in that. from the others only one hatched crippled and lived six days My goose eggs are due to hatch in about eight days Hope I have better luck with them Oh and six frizzled poland bantam eggs arrived this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckmomma Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Forgot to ask What about the other eggs? Did you open them to see how far they got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Oh Duckmomma, sorry to hear about the not so good hatch . Glad to see you haven't given up with incubation. Frizzled Poland's eh? Ohhhhhhhhh. I haven't quite got round to cracking them open yet . I've left them in there in the vain hope of getting one more......although I know I wont. I'm not feeling too good today I have M.E (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) meaning I'm always sleepy and when I don't get enough sleep (for reasons such as, waiting up all night for the duckling to hatch ) I get very tired and feel queasy. So I'm not too sure if I want to crack one open in case it smells . I'm guessing they will? Have you got more goose eggs, or are they the same ones that you thought were duds? How many eggs have you got in the incubator? What are you planning to do with the geese? Ohhhh I'm very jealous! I can't hatch chicken eggs because of neighbours and cockerels, I take it your in the countryside? Or are you going to sort out the cockerels your self? Sorry for all the questions, I'm intrigued . xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Def. don't crack open the eggs if you're still feeling queasy - the smell really is awful! - get someone else to do it while you stand well clear! - have newspaper handy to wrap the broken eggs up in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
