New Arrival

Having acquired a single Duck egg dropped on a Trust members Lawn last month. It was put into my incubator to see if it was viable or not. 

Normal duck incubation time is about 28 days, so I was gobsmacked when I discovered a ducks bill protruding through the shell at 24 days! 

This is the earliest I have ever known for a duck egg hatching. It transpired that the little bill through the shell was stuck for over 18 hours, so I had no choice but to help it out or end up with an - in shell fatality.

Using Tweezers I carefully removed some shell at either side of the trapped bill leaving the membrane intact. Some hours later removed some more and allowed the duckling to finish the job. 

                    It now joins some of the other rescued ducklings. Sequence of shots tells the story and short vid clip below.