baby duck

[hmgardner25]

I have duck eggs that I had to move to an incubator on Friday. one of the eggs had a little chip in it yesterday morning. I checked on the duck today and it had made no progress so I removed some of the shell. the membrane was dry so I put just a little water on it. should I leave the duck alone or wait a while and help it out?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi . I would only assist as a very last resort. Try to make sure you have enough humidity. That will make hatching easier for the chick. Please read the assisted hatching link it's very useful if you decide you do have to help.https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[hmgardner25]

I'm not sure if the humidity is right or not. should I wet a paper towel and drape it over the eggs?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

If you have a hygrometer or your incubator monitors humidity it should be at least 65%. If you have neither or don't have water in your incubator put some warm water in. In the base if u have one or put the paper towel with warm water in the incubator it is surface area of water you need not depth of water so maybe several paper towels will be needed. I would not put towel over the eggs as you need to monitor the progress of the eggs try not to open the incubator once you have done this as this will loose the humidity you have built up.https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

 

[hmgardner25]

well, my duck is not making any progress. its just laying in the egg breathing. should it take this long for it to hatch?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I personally would only help if the chick had pipped and not made any progress for 24 hours. This is just my opinion and is what I do with my own eggs and always re read the assisted hatching page. Good luck with your hatch and hope everything turns out ok.

 

[hmgardner25]

the egg that is hatching has a green goop in it. is that normal?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes some green debris is normal it could be normal egg debris- the poop that has no where to go while the chick is in the shell. Try not to worry what will be will be it's all part of incubating and hatching. Did you assist the egg or has it hatched itself?

 

[hmgardner25]

I assisted it. it seems to be doing fine. its scooting around the incubator but still attached to the egg with its umbilical cord. should I give it some pedialyte?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Glad to hear it's scooting about well done. I would not try to remove the shell until the cord is completely dry by that time it will have probably come off itself. I wouldn't give it anything yet it can live off the yolk sac it absorbed during hatching. Have any other eggs piped or hatch yet?