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- #51
Xmasbaby75
In the Brooder
#3 is out now! Still waiting for #1 - how do you know if he needs help?
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CUTENESS OVERLOADThe one with the orange feet looks like a little rascal and the one with the black stripes on the face seems a bit shy. And the last one is the big brother
#3 is out now! Still waiting for #1 - how do you know if he needs help?
There is a big hole in the first egg that externally pipped You can see a good size zip, but not all the way around. Is it possible he can't break through because the caked on mud is too thick? It is still alive, but it looks like it is drying out, and has slowed down. He was very active yesterday. Now, two have hatched, and they are using #1 as a bowling ball, but he still won't come out :-( Getting nervous!Can you see a hole at all, or just a bump in the shell?
There is a big hole in the first egg that externally pipped You can see a good size zip, but not all the way around. Is it possible he can't break through because the caked on mud is too thick? It is still alive, but it looks like it is drying out, and has slowed down. He was very active yesterday. Now, two have hatched, and they are using #1 as a bowling ball, but he still won't come out :-( Getting nervous!
Here is a picture of the two that have hatched. You can see egg #1 off to the right (the muddy one that is partially zipped). Does he look like he needs help? I'm concerned about this one. It has been 27 hours since the external pip. Also, one of the ones that hatched left a big blob of yucky yellow stuff in the incubator ... is that normal?
Thanks. I think we'll wait until tonight to intervene. When can we move the hatched ones to the brooder - do we have to leave them there until they all hatch, or can we move them quick without harming the unhatched ones?.
That's a tough call. Last week I had one that had zipped a couple of inches then stopped. I decided I was giving it until 48 hours. By the time I checked it closer, it was too late. It died. But 2 more took almost 48 hours, and did fine on their own. At only 27 hours, I would say give it some time, especially if it has enough hole to get air. But if you feel its in distress, you can assist. The thing with ducks is that it takes them longer to absorb the yolk, and if you assist too soon, you run a bigger risk of infecting or busting their yolk. If you help, I'd just chip away a little along the zip line, enough to find its bill, and make sure its getting good air, and moisten the membrane with a little Vaseline. Don't go too far, and don't pull it out of the egg yourself.
The globby stuff is normal.
Thanks. I think we'll wait until tonight to intervene. When can we move the hatched ones to the brooder - do we have to leave them there until they all hatch, or can we move them quick without harming the unhatched ones?