an exercise in PATIENCE!

[MarkY00]

We started chicken and duck incubation about a month ago. The chickens came out fine, about a dozen, 1 a day early, then the rest kind of bunched together over a period of about a day. The ducks take a week longer. Once again, one duck came out 2 days early. Now the rest, 3 have pipped out of 7. 1 started a hole about 36 hours ago and has gone no further. We can see it moving, breathing, but no more visible effort. I read, in your past posts, that they can take up to 48 hours after the first pip to come out. That is a real exercise in ANXIETY. The post I saw from 2008 suggested, by some responders to just help them out. I'm unsure. The first out, almost 48 hours ago. pipped then waited a full 24 hours to finish. It's been 36 hours for the next one since it pipped then stopped. My fingernails are ALL GONE. Is there no book of rules for this ordeal?

MarkY00

 

[Debs Flock]

You'll usually have better luck getting responses if your thread name better describes your situation. I have never hatched. I'm going to "tag" some other members that have lots of experience. They'll be able to offer advice. Good luck & sorry the hatch isn't going smoothly.

@caesargirl
@casportpony
@Lacrystol

 

[caesargirl]

Sit on your hands and stop biting your nails!!!!
Keep your humidity up. Ducklings take forever.....!!! If there's an external hole, it's breathing. He's lived in that egg for 28 days, don't kick him out early!! The yawning and struggling they do helps them absorb the yolk. Since you've had some early hatchers, did you have a temp spike? What's your humidity?

 

[Lacrystol]

How are things going????

 

[hrae]

I need help too! Pekin duck egg pipped without making an actual hole before 7 am yesterday (Wednesday)-- no more cracking or hole pipping but it's quacking! Another duck pipped at 12:30 pm yesterday, and had a bit of a hole by 3:00 a.m today (Thursday). I did make a tiny hole in the first one's pipped area and it was very happy and quacked at me. How long do I wait before trying to give them larger holes? I am especially worried about the first one since it seems to be very active inside the egg but isn't doing any egg cracking.