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

 

[WVduckchick]

He is out now!!! I had to open up the membrane a little more, but he did the rest himself. He was really eager to come out! He seems to be healthy, but I think that he might have something wrong with one of his feet. He's been out for an hour or two now, and it is not straightening out. I'm almost positive that this is the leg that was stuck up into the air cell, so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it? Is there anything that I can do to straighten it out? It's turned under him and he can't walk without falling over! I tried to get a good picture, but he kept moving all around.

That's awesome! I had a good feeling on this one!!

And like Kathy said, I think shoes should fix it?

This is for chickens, but works the same with ducks. Just spread their little webs and tape the toes in place for a day or two.
Masking tape, medical tape, whatever you have that will still peel off fairly easily afterward. Its common for ones that take a little longer to hatch.

 

[CoastalChild]

Here are the pics of the two eggs that are still unhatched. Let me know if you think that I should intervene at all. I am doing this all from work, and it is now 7:30 and I'm hungry! I'm trying to figure out if I can go home for the night, or if I should order some pizza and cozy up for a long night inside the museum!

This is the one that has yet to pip. I have an "x" marked where I can see he has pipped internally. I have made the safe hole in this one.


This little one has been cracking the shell, but does not appear to have made it through the membrane. It was hard to draw the air cell on this one, because he appeared to be up inside of it and moving around. I'm not sure how accurate it really is. I didn't want to roll him around too much.

 

[Dannygj]

You could put the littlest duck back in the incubator with them and when that duck chirps and bumps them it encourages the eggs to hatch don't worry if they get bumped by the duck.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes, there is an internal pip. We're on day 28 now, so today was the day I was expecting them to hatch! We started with 6 eggs, and 3 of them decided to pip on day 25 and hatched on 26, and 2 of them hatched last night on day 27. Are they just spreading this out to torture me??

Yes it sounds like they want to torture you! lol

I'm always hesitant to make an external pip for one, if it hasn't done it on its own, but if you know it has been internally pipped for over 24 hours, then I would consider it. Just to give it some real air to breathe. A hole no bigger than the tip of a pen, just make sure you get through the membrane. And try to get close to the bill, if you can tell where it is. Just be careful. My duck egg shells are tough!

 

[casportpony]

If you do decide to help, read this first:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

-Kathy

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yes, I believe it does! And to answer your question in the PM, yes, there is only one egg left unhatched. 

Only 1 left?? You've done wonderfully!!! I hope the last one makes it fine, but just wanted to say if it doesn't don't blame yourself... we can't always get 100% perfect and you have done a great job!!!

 

[casportpony]

So, there is still no progress on the last egg! It has been internally pipped for well over 48 hours now. I've read the guide to assisting a hatch... Should I go in?? I'm so nervous!

I'm a meddler, so I usually will open up the hole to see why they're stuck. With mine, it's usually because they have their foot over their head.


https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm095
Incidence of the common malpositions
Malposition #

Description of the malposition

%
1

Head between thighs

12.5
2

Head in the small end of egg

7.5
3

Head under left wing

7.5
4

Head not directed toward air cell

4.5
5

Feet over head

20.0
6

Beak above right wing

48.0

 

[casportpony]

He is out now!!! I had to open up the membrane a little more, but he did the rest himself. He was really eager to come out! He seems to be healthy, but I think that he might have something wrong with one of his feet. He's been out for an hour or two now, and it is not straightening out. I'm almost positive that this is the leg that was stuck up into the air cell, so I'm wondering if that has something to do with it? Is there anything that I can do to straighten it out? It's turned under him and he can't walk without falling over! I tried to get a good picture, but he kept moving all around.

Maybe tape it?
Before shoes


After shoes


-Kathy

 

[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.