Problems Hatching Call Ducks

[poultry4-Hrules]

I have been raising and hatching calls for a few years now, but this year I have been faced with a new problem. A large percentage of my ducklings have been piping the eggs and then they die or the unzip around the egg and then die. Does anyone have any ideas of what I could be doing wrong?

 

[casportpony]

If you live in the US you should look into have a necropsy done on some. Many states offer them free or a small fee.

Some labs listed here:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

This is how I send birds for necropsy:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy

 

[Lacrystol]

I have been raising and hatching calls for a few years now, but this year I have been faced with a new problem. A large percentage of my ducklings have been piping the eggs and then they die or the unzip around the egg and then die. Does anyone have any ideas of what I could be doing wrong?

This is a problem that I have recently came upon, I had one half way zipped then boom died. Was this a very small call duck egg??

 

[Duck Drover]

According to what I was told, Call ducks are the hardest to hatch because of their short bills. It seems assisted hatches are not uncommon because the bill just does not seem long enough to reach around from under the wing to allow proper hatching. I suspect mama ducks will assist if a duckling is not hatching on its own and is otherwise strong and healthy. When people breed for specific standards, the outcome is not always the best survival mechanisms. Usually assisting hatches is not effective in the long run because weak birds may not thrive beyond the hatch but with Callls it might be necessary as long as it is minimally invasive. When I assist I will pull the head out from under the wing and then let the bird hatch the rest of the way.

 

[Jkduckster]

I had a batch of call ducklings due a few days ago and I candeled a day before hatch day, movement in all of the eggs but on hatch day a misterius small bruise appeared on all six eggs. None piped, I waited till day 28 and then opened up the eggs. Fully formed duckies, I have no idea what went wrong or what the dark spot on the eggs was.

 

[Dougdilman]

I had a batch of call ducklings due a few days ago and I candeled a day before hatch day, movement in all of the eggs but on hatch day a misterius small bruise appeared on all six eggs. None piped, I waited till day 28 and then opened up the eggs. Fully formed duckies, I have no idea what went wrong or what the dark spot on the eggs was.

Did you wash the eggs before you set them, and did you investigate the bruise area and see if it was blood or bacterial infection?
What was your himidity during the incubation and hatch?

Its soo sad when they make it so far not to make it all the way

 

[DuckyDonna]

was the bruise on the pointy end (non-air cell)?

 

[Jkduckster]

Temp was 99.5 f humidity 65 percent and I misted every day. I hand turned 3 times a day. I opened up the eggs to do a egg topsey and possibly find the problem. Five of the ducklings had their heads at the big end of the egg and one had its head at the small end. The bruising area appeared to be kind of were the ducklings bill was located. Only one ducklings bill intruded into the air cell, and none piped. I have 4 more eggs due in six days so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Pyxis and @WVduckchick are our Call duck hatchers.

 

[johntfs]

Temp was 99.5 f humidity 65 percent and I misted every day. I hand turned 3 times a day. I opened up the eggs to do a egg topsey and possibly find the problem. Five of the ducklings had their heads at the big end of the egg and one had its head at the small end. The bruising area appeared to be kind of were the ducklings bill was located. Only one ducklings bill intruded into the air cell, and none piped. I have 4 more eggs due in six days so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Good luck with your other four - and please show us pics after they hatch. We loves us some itty-bitty-duck-babies.