help with eggs half opened

I already had put a post but I am not sure where it is - so I am posting here as had no more replies.... this is a photo of my two unhatched ducklings ( cross between indian runner dad and probably aylesbury or khaki Campbell mum )
all the others hatched under mum but we stuffed it up a little by moving the nest and she left these two behind. I took them out of the large cage where I had put mum and chicks ( due to cats ) as she had ignored them and then felt two of them making tapping noises. After about 12 hours, I heard them cheep from within the egg. After waiting another couple of hours and seeing on candling that they had pipped ( is that when y ou go from inner membrane to air socket ? ) so made a small hole just by beak. They stayed overnight under a lamp that I suspect is not warm enough, and today around lunch I carefully extended the hole. ( the veins had gone so thought that was the time ). They seem happy enough but apart from wiggling, are not trying to get out. They cheep and drink water drips if I give them, but seem content to sleep. Am I doing the right thing ???

ps : can't work out how to put a video on here as it wants a utube or vimeo link ? I was going to copy from my pictures file....
and the last question - sometimes it says I have started a new thread when all I was trying to do was to add something to the last one. ( I pressed ' reply ' at the bottom of the thread. )

@Lacrystol is best with assisted hatches I think, but here's my piece:

They usually take about 24 hours from internally pipping (breaking through that inner membrane into the air cell) before they externally pip (start to break through the shell). Then after that external pip hole in the shell they can take up to another 24 hours before starting to turn and hatch out of the egg, so I think they maybe weren't quite ready yet. Hatching is a long and slow process with ducks and you just have to be patient. They need to rest alot between steps because hatching is very exhausting. So I'm thinking they weren't quite ready to hatch out yet when you helped, so that's why they are just resting now.

Sounds like they are not in an actual incubator though, right? They really need high humidity to hatch so the membrane doesn't dry onto their feathers, in which case they won't be able to move enough to hatch out on their own. The membranes look good to me from the pics, but just try to keep those moist so they don't dry out, and do not give them any more water in their bills. They are not in a position in there to eat or drink, that could cause them to choke or drown.

Ok, hope Lacrystol comes in soon to help you more. Good luck!

That is one cute duck you have there on your profile picture !

No , they are in a porcelain bowl with a bedside lamp. A damp linen cloth over the broken/open part of the shell. the shell that is intact is left under the lamp. There is a metal mesh ( my kitchen thingy to stop oil splattering when cooking), washed and put over top of bowl. I am afraid that if they hatch whilst we are sleeping, then they might jump out or burn themselves on the lamp, hence the mesh. Its gently handwarm in there.
This has been a very nervewracking three days and I wish I had been clearer about waiting 24 hours after seeing internal pipping.
Thanks for that info.

dubaiducks said:

That is one cute duck you have there on your profile picture !

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Thank you! That is my Nutmeg. ^-^ She was my very first (and only so far) assisted hatch duckling. She started to hatch at the wrong end of her egg last year and became stuck, so I ended up having to help her out. She is 8 months old now and I have some of her eggs in my incubator right now. They grow up so fast!

dubaiducks said:

No , they are in a porcelain bowl with a bedside lamp. A damp linen cloth over the broken/open part of the shell. the shell that is intact is left under the lamp. There is a metal mesh ( my kitchen thingy to stop oil splattering when cooking), washed and put over top of bowl. I am afraid that if they hatch whilst we are sleeping, then they might jump out or burn themselves on the lamp, hence the mesh. Its gently handwarm in there.
This has been a very nervewracking three days and I wish I had been clearer about waiting 24 hours after seeing internal pipping.
Thanks for that info.

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No problem, I wish you luck with these guys! Good job having the warm damp cloth over them, just make sure they do get some air under there.

My ducklings just hatched and the latest one had about 48 hours between external pip (this was just a very small crack on the egg surface) and getting out. I didn't notice when they pipped internally.

But yours weren't even that far and I don't think you should have opened the egg They come out when they're ready. I hope someone with more experience can help you out!

Yes I think I have done the wrong thing. I read the wrong signs and thought they were dying inside. Stupid stupid. next time better let them die in the egg than die with intervention. They are alive so far but I have not got high hopes. One has almost totally escaped its shell but is still attached to the gloop by its tummy but eyes closed and no head lifting. Ugh. I feel quite sick at the whole thing, having thought I was being so patient.

I'm so sorry

Make sure they're warm enough, they should be in 100 degrees F, and make sure the humidity is high enough (60 to 70%). You can higher the humidity by sprinkling warm water over them (only over the shell?)

Perhaps put them in a small plastic container so it resembles an egg... I wish you and the ducklings the best

Edit: Play a video of hatching ducklings, their squeaks might encourage them to continue the hatching process