Page:Ducks- and how to make them pay (IA cu31924003102971).pdf/50

35 them remain in the box from 12 to 15 hours, then they become strong. If the young ducklings are taken away very carefully, 19 hens out of every 20 will hatch the remaining eggs the following week. It is always well when ducks' eggs are hatching to look at them a few times, as the eggs are often chipped from 14 to 26 hours before they come out. There are two skins inside the egg, the inner membrane, which is the skin next the duckling, becomes dry and adheres to the fluff tightly, so that it has no power to struggle and break the shell open. When this skin is noticed to be dry it is best to take a penknife and just separate the skin from the fluff very gently. Do not go into it too deep; if so it is liable to let the blood out, as this is the last thing they take up. In no case should the eggs be shaken in the least. Many people when they have young ducklings hatching out take hold of the eggs and give them a gentle shake to test whether they are good or bad. By that sudden shake they often rupture the blood vessels, and usually it will kill 17 out of 20, and sometimes every one of the ducklings, unless they are ready to come out, then it does not injure them. When the time is up for the eggs to hatch out and there is no sign of life, hold each egg in the left hand firmly, and make a little incision in the large end, which should be held away from the operator, because, should the egg turn out to be rotten, it will occasionally go off like a gun, and it is not very pleasant if the liquid flies in one's face. Open a small hole, about the size of a threepenny piece, and if the duckling is alive the skin will be quite white inside the egg;