HELP!!!! I only have two days to figure it all out before lockdown!!!

[WeTheWeys]

With duck eggs if you think the air cells are to small you can mist them once or twice a day with warm water in a spray bottle. This will increase the size BUT the size in the pic looks good! As far as hatching and temps...during the last couple days the temps don’t need to be as accurate. Some people even lower the temps during hatch (I don’t but it’s fine if you do). So just get the temps around 99 and you should be ok. I commend you for making a homemade bator. I dont think I could do it. So I can’t give much advice as far as that goes. But try adding the sponges to get the humidity up. I hatch around 70-75%. And I don’t use a wetbulb just a digital hygrometer. Others hatch lower around 65%. But I tend to open the incubator to take out shells and remove chicks and check on eggs. Lay them flat right on that liner, just like WV said. And one more thing...if you hatch in the homemade check and see how quickly your temps and humidity recover if you do open the lid. Just in case you see an egg or duckling that needs help you’ll want to know if it’s safe to open it quickly. Oh and make sure the ducklings can’t get into any of the water containers that you’ve added once they hatch. As soon as the ducklings hatch they seem to flail around a lot until they get on their feet and you don’t want them to accidentally fall into any water and drown.

thank you! I have decided to just go ahead and hatch them in the janoel12 as of right now... I put them into lockdown last night after seeing a bunch of wiggles!!! humidity and temp recover quickly in the janoel, and are more unpredictable in my homemade... I think I will stick with the janoel since it controls its own temperature and my homemade fluctuates so much still...

humidity MUCH easier to control in the janoel...

is wiggling a sign I should put them into lock down? I did open a couple times to add more water, recovers very quickly. It is only day 24 today. No external pips. I can't tell if what I saw were internal pips or if they are just moving around a bunch...

exciting!!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

I’ve seen many homemade incubators do very well here, but a lot of miserable failures too, so if you aren’t comfortable with what you made, I’d stick to one you know for now. You can always tweak your other one for later hatches.

I haven’t hatched runners, but I think they tend to hatch sooner than your others may, so be prepared in case that happens.

As far as pipping, once they break the membrane, it’s fairly obvious. They press against it at first, while they are moving into hatching position.

 

[HappyDancin']

Yay! Best of luck, and happy hatching to your babies...

I've never hatched ducks... Can't wait to hear how it's going! And see pictures!

 

[RubyNala97]

Like WV said, right before they internally pip the membrane will grow considerably larger and you will be able to see the duckling pushing against the membrane and moving. Then they will internally pip. I’ll post a pic of a an internal pip. Keep in mind the bill can be anywhere inside the aircell, it may not be in the exact same spot as in my pic but just to give you an idea of what it looks like. Also keep in mind that ducks can take a long time to hatch so it requires a lot of waiting. I’m very excited for you to get your first baby ducks!!
(In my pics one egg has a safety hole and one has an external pip but in both pics you can see the bill in the internal pip easily)

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[WeTheWeys]

Like WV said, right before they internally pip the membrane will grow considerably larger and you will be able to see the duckling pushing against the membrane and moving. Then they will internally pip. I’ll post a pic of a an internal pip. Keep in mind the bill can be anywhere inside the aircell, it may not be in the exact same spot as in my pic but just to give you an idea of what it looks like. Also keep in mind that ducks can take a long time to hatch so it requires a lot of waiting. I’m very excited for you to get your first baby ducks!!
(In my pics one egg has a safety hole and one has an external pip but in both pics you can see the bill in the internal pip easily)

Thanks!!! How do I know if I need to poke a safety hole? I have only been able to candle two of the eggs through the outside of the bator because of their position near the sides... so I have been candling these two without opening the incubator. There is a lot of movement, and looks like a beak pushing up into the edge of the aircell, but to me looks like it isn't IN it, just pushing up against it until the membrane breaks. Maybe it has already broken, I do not know.

It is only day 26. They wiggle and wobble a lot, and have internal movement but I can't see clearly enough to tell if it's an internal pip or not.

What day *should* they internally pip? I know they *should* externally pip around 24 hours after the internal, but how do I keep track if I don't even know the internal since opening during lockdown is so dangerous?!?!

 

[RubyNala97]

Thanks!!! How do I know if I need to poke a safety hole? I have only been able to candle two of the eggs through the outside of the bator because of their position near the sides... so I have been candling these two without opening the incubator. There is a lot of movement, and looks like a beak pushing up into the edge of the aircell, but to me looks like it isn't IN it, just pushing up against it until the membrane breaks. Maybe it has already broken, I do not know.

It is only day 26. They wiggle and wobble a lot, and have internal movement but I can't see clearly enough to tell if it's an internal pip or not.

What day *should* they internally pip? I know they *should* externally pip around 24 hours after the internal, but how do I keep track if I don't even know the internal since opening during lockdown is so dangerous?!?!

There is really no set day that they should internally pip. This year all of my batches of call duck eggs were very late even though my temps were fine. And everyone hatched healthy so idk. Also, call ducks are known for having a hard time externally pipping & zipping because they have very short bills. So with them I really keep an eye on the eggs by candling even during lockdown. I don’t know any specifics like that about the breeds you are hatching. But the only way you would know is by candling the eggs. If you’re worried and want to monitor then then you can look for optimal times to open the incubator. Obviously before any external pips it’s fine to open it since none have broken the shell. This can be a good time to monitor for internal pips. Once the ducklings actually start hatching it will spike up the humidity. I usually open after a couple have hatched but not when they are still soaking wet. I’ll grab the broken shells out and then pull a single egg out of the incubator if it has no external pip to candle it. I always open and close the incubator quickly. Just pull one egg out at a time that way you’re not leaving the lid open and inspect the egg while you’re holding it. I never know exactly when one egg internally pipped but I always shoot for longer when I’m assisting in anyway. So for me if I see an egg is internally pipped I’ll look at the clock and start timing from that point, even if I don’t know exactly when it happened. If it’s evening time then I’ll make sure by the next evening that egg has externally pipped. Does that make sense?

 

[WeTheWeys]

There is really no set day that they should internally pip. This year all of my batches of call duck eggs were very late even though my temps were fine. And everyone hatched healthy so idk. Also, call ducks are known for having a hard time externally pipping & zipping because they have very short bills. So with them I really keep an eye on the eggs by candling even during lockdown. I don’t know any specifics like that about the breeds you are hatching. But the only way you would know is by candling the eggs. If you’re worried and want to monitor then then you can look for optimal times to open the incubator. Obviously before any external pips it’s fine to open it since none have broken the shell. This can be a good time to monitor for internal pips. Once the ducklings actually start hatching it will spike up the humidity. I usually open after a couple have hatched but not when they are still soaking wet. I’ll grab the broken shells out and then pull a single egg out of the incubator if it has no external pip to candle it. I always open and close the incubator quickly. Just pull one egg out at a time that way you’re not leaving the lid open and inspect the egg while you’re holding it. I never know exactly when one egg internally pipped but I always shoot for longer when I’m assisting in anyway. So for me if I see an egg is internally pipped I’ll look at the clock and start timing from that point, even if I don’t know exactly when it happened. If it’s evening time then I’ll make sure by the next evening that egg has externally pipped. Does that make sense?

yes thank you. There's one who I can see is zipping, but it isnt broken through to the point where I can see in so I don't know if it is getting air or not... I can hear him pecking (and see it!) and hear him peeping. Weird situation with my other one.... there is a little pip mark (external) that all of a sudden just showed up... I turned my back for two minutes and when I came back it was there.... However, I then candled him (through the wall of the incubator... I did not open it even though the humidity of my room is actually the same as the humidity in the bator...) and his beak is internally pecking on the complete opposite end of where that little crack is... is it possible for a duck to have cracked the egg with its foot or something? It is JUST next to the air cell but does not look like it is in it. The beak is definitely on the opposite end though, I can see it clear as day.... It is a pekin duck btw right now marks 27 days and 1 hour since setting.

 

[WVduckchick]

Any way you can take a picture of what you are seeing?

If the shell is broken, chances are very high that it is getting air, even if the flap closes. If you watch real close, it will flop open and closed again as they move and breathe.

Here’s a pic I like, it’s an emu, but still the same principle of how they curl up inside the egg. I’ve never had one break the shell with anything other than their bill, but I suppose it’s possible.

 

[WeTheWeys]

Any way you can take a picture of what you are seeing?

If the shell is broken, chances are very high that it is getting air, even if the flap closes. If you watch real close, it will flop open and closed again as they move and breathe.

Here’s a pic I like, it’s an emu, but still the same principle of how they curl up inside the egg. I’ve never had one break the shell with anything other than their bill, but I suppose it’s possible.
View attachment 1498770

thanks!

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So if i can still see the air cell does that mean it hasn't internally pipped and isn't taking up the entire egg yet?
I see exactly where they are both peking which is why I am confused on his pip near the other end.... it is just membrane underneath, not even broken through all the way. When I candle, that part is next to another part that is beating regularly like a heart or something... I honestly am so confused I have no idea what could be going on!?? maybe twins



i think it's funny i posted this thread on monday freaking out about having no time and yet they still haven't hatched....


I currently have three that have (i think) internally pipped because i can hear them pecking at the shell and i can hear them chirp every once in a while when they really get goin with poking the shell....

(it is currently day 27 and 2 hours, i set a count-up on my phone when I set them)

I have four that look like the first part of that emu picture... I can see the little bulge around where their beaks are, but I am pretty sure they haven't actually broken through the membrane yet because I cannot hear them pecking at all. Since today is day 27 and 2 hours, are these four doomed? Perhaps they're late bloomers? What do you guys think... what is the longest you've gone over your hatch due date and still had successful hatches?

@RubyNala97 @ChickNanny13 @WVduckchick (sorry, yours are the only usernames i know thats why i always tag you)

One has been internally pipped for two full days now and I saw him slowing down on his movement, so I poked as safety hole just in case. Hopefully that is okay to do, he perked up and started pecking more after I had made the hole. It is in the air sac no where near his beak or the edges of the air cell.

Thank you all!!!! I would be a complete and utter mess without BYC and all of the generous help and advice I have received. You are all the best. Have a wonderful Friday and a happy weekend!!