First Duck Hatch - Please help me 'sit on my hands'

NewAussieChook

Songster
5 Years
Jan 24, 2014
58
14
106
Hi all,

My almost-4-year-old and I are hatching Indian Runners at the moment - just 5 eggs. We're at day 28 today and ALL have pipped. We're used to hatching chicks, this is our first go at ducks.

We have one of those cheap 10-egg Chinese incubators - we have wet sponges in there to help the humidity get higher.

Egg 1: Pipped the right end - 26 hrs ago. Not much action. Occasionally rocks.
Egg 2: Pipped the right end - 20 hrs ago. Not much action.
Egg 3: Pipped the wrong end - 19 hrs ago. Has attempted unzipping. Has a hole big enough to breathe and little beak coming in and out and cheeping. The membrane is yellow/tan - looks super dry.
Egg 4: Pipped the right end - 19 hrs ago. Not much action.
Egg 5: Pipped the wrong end - 15 hrs ago. Doesn't seem to be much action and I don't know whether there is a hole through the membrane yet or not, as it's at a weird angle - pipped at the bottom on the wrong end, tucked in next to the water tray.

I'm not concerned about the ones that pipped the right end - I'm sure they'll work it out. Egg 3 I am concerned for because the membrane is yellow/tan and it's coming the wrong way. But I'm reluctant to open the bator, as I don't want to shrink-wrap the other ones who are pipping. We already lost one at Day 25 - so hoping we don't loose another.

When do I intervene with Egg 3? I'm trying to sit on my hands as much as possible! It's a hard task, hey?

I've had to assist a chick before, so I'm guessing the process is similar for ducks. The one I assisted was coming from the right end though.

Thanks for reading! :)
 
Wondering if @duckyfromoz might be around, but we also have @WVduckchick @Lacrystol and @Orca5094 and several other hatchers.

You are paying attention- I have read about shrink-wrapping from opening the incubator at the wrong time.

Let's see if a hatcher checks in - there is a thread Da Cute and Cuddly Call Duck thread, and there are some hatchers there as well.
 
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Wondering if @duckyfromoz might be around, but we also have @Lacrystol and @Orca5094 and several other hatchers.

You are paying attention- I have read about shrink-wrapping from opening the incubator at the wrong time.

Let's see if a hatcher checks in - there is a thread Da Cute and Cuddly Call Duck thread, and there are some hatchers there as well.
Where is everyone??? Lets also put a call in for @caesargirl
and @WVduckchick
 
Sorry guys! Church morning here so we were out (it's Sunday AM in Australia). I appreciate the responses - thank you.

As it stands now:

Egg 1: Pipped the right end - 29 hrs ago. Into the process of unzipping. Can see beak and cheeping.
Egg 2: Pipped the right end - 23 hrs ago. Not much action.
Egg 3: Pipped the wrong end - 22 hrs ago. Membrane is yellow/tan. It's made a tiny bit of progress but its very quite now.
Egg 4: Pipped the right end - 22 hrs ago. Not much action.
Egg 5: Pipped the wrong end - 18 hrs ago. This one may not be ok. Can't see the pip properly to see whether it made it through the membranes.

The incubator has a fan yes. It's set at 37.1 degrees Celsius currently. Not sure on the humidity, as it's a cheapy, small bator, couldn't fit hygrometer in there with the eggs. However, the water channels both have water and I have added warm sponges (at lock down) - there are been quite a bit of condensation on the sides and floors throughout the whole process of lockdown.
 
Can you send a pic of #3, also get a spray bottle fill it with warm water, If you open up the bator give it a spray before closing it back up, this way the humidity will go right back up and you don't loose to much moisture. spray right on the eggs.
 
Egg 3 - the back right one:



Egg 1: Coasting along nicely.



Egg 5 (front left) - can't see the pip (wrong end), just the broken shell.



Egg 2 (left side):



Egg 3 (one at front):

 

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