How long do ducks take?

[glenolam]

I have yet to have to help a duckling, but I suspect that a "good" time to step in is when you inspect the egg/duckling *after* it pips and notice the bill isn't moving much (if not at all, you might have a dead one on your hands).

I wanted to help one so badly last year, but didn't and everything worked out fine. The entire time after the duckling pipped I heard this constant tap, tap, tap, which was the duckling working on the rest of the zip. Of course, there was periods when it would rest, but then it would open its bill if I picked up the egg to investigate.

As I mentioned before, ANYTIME you want to pick up an egg during lock down (really, you shouldn't but if you have to) make sure the room is moist and warm, which is why I choose the bathroom. My glasses fog up and I wear a tank top/shorts, but it makes the little things have a better shot and decreases the amount of heat/humidity released by the bator.

FYI - My duck hens are great at brooding; I actually have one on a clutch due to hatch very soon. My chickens, however, are horrible!

 

[SebastopolGeese]

Hi, this is my first duck egg hatching and the duckling started peeping and pecking a hole last night around 7 or so, there was a little more breaking of the shell today but not much so I peeled an area away tonight......... the little thing has finally poked its beak through at about 8 tonight but still has not pushed through. I am getting a little concerned. I am afraid to break the egg open for fear of umbilical cord detachment, but I also don't want the little thing to die in the shell.................. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[LilBantams]

Hi, this is my first duck egg hatching and the duckling started peeping and pecking a hole last night around 7 or so, there was a little more breaking of the shell today but not much so I peeled an area away tonight......... the little thing has finally poked its beak through at about 8 tonight but still has not pushed through.  I am getting a little concerned. I am afraid to break the egg open for fear of umbilical cord detachment, but I also don't want the little thing to die in the shell..................  Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

I'm having similar issues! This is my first duck hatch and 3/3 of the eggs pipped yesterday morning. I checked this morning and they cleared a little more around the pipping hole but no zips. I'm so worried!!