Ducks pipped over 30 hours ago, but no progress!

[CoastalChild]

We are hatching ducks for the first time at our Children's Museum (we've always hatched chicks in the past), and we're having some weird stuff happening with this hatch! First of all, I came in on Monday (25th day in incubator) to take our 6 duck eggs out of the egg turner, and 3 of them had already pipped! Those three have hatched and are doing well! When I came in yesterday at 9am, two others had pipped. It is now the afternoon and the last one has still not pipped and the other two have made little to no progress since yesterday morning. I am worried that they weren't able to get in the right position since they were in the egg turner when they started to hatch. I can hear the two that have pipped, and I can feel the third moving, so they're all still alive, but I'M WORRIED! The one that hasn't pipped yet has a dark spot where it looks like it tried to pip, but no progress. I have the kids giving them words of encouragement to come out, but I'm wondering if it will take more than that. Any advise would be appreciated! ~Elise

 

[buff goose guy]

What breed are they, and yes that spot does sound like a failed attempt to pip the duckling could be suffocating. It sounds like a humidity problem could have occurred while incubating. I suggest pming @Lacrystol or @casportpony for some help.

 

[CoastalChild]

Thanks for the advice! I will try to reach out. We did have a problem with humidity in the beginning. It kept getting too low over night when no one was in the museum. In the mean time, do you think that I should try to poke a hole in the shell of the one with the failed pip? I would hate for it to suffocate if I can help it!

 

[buff goose guy]

Thanks for the advice! I will try to reach out. We did have a problem with humidity in the beginning. It kept getting too low over night when no one was in the museum. In the mean time, do you think that I should try to poke a hole in the shell of the one with the failed pip? I would hate for it to suffocate if I can help it!

Yes you need to make a safety hole, you have to be very gentle and precise to not hurt the baby. and the hole has to be very small just so it will be able to breath, having a problem with the humidity might have also made it sticky and for that you will need the help of one of those to.

 

[casportpony]

@RavynFallen @AmyLynn2374 @WVduckchick

 

[casportpony]

@caesargirl @Sally Sunshine

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yep, I would make a safe hole at this point... don't make too big of one as it will cause the membrane to dry out and could shrinkwrap the duckling... take either a screw or a nail and gently twist/twirl it til the point barely breaks through... it should be no bigger than a pencil/pen tip...

 

[CoastalChild]

Thanks for all the advice! Okay, so one of them all the sudden decided it was time to hatch, and went from having just a small hole to being out in about an hour! But the other two have not done much. I've made a safe hole for the one that has yet to pip externally, and the other one has cracked the shell a little more, but has not broken through the membrane yet.

 

[casportpony]

You might want to post the pictures you sent in the PM.

-Kathy

 

[Dannygj]

Try to tap the egg with your gong nail and hold it up to your ear if he chirps he has internally pipped and you might need to make a hole if you hear no chirping after a while of trying he hasn't internally pipped and could just be a little behind I recommend not help if no chirping