How to hatch call ducklings? ***Updated questions!****

[PoultryGirly]

The higher quality birds have extremely small bills which makes it hard for them to get out of the shell sometimes. I always let them try on their own & don't try to help unless they have made no progress for a full 24 hrs.

Now that's making me even more nervous! I'm not sure if my eggs came from SQ birds. If I posted pics of the parents could you tell me???

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: I could tell from pix if it shows the bills clearly.

 

[PoultryGirly]

This is the link to the seller's pictures: http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Assorted...354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c6f62352

(The temp to my incubator is only at 97* from when I turned the eggs at 10:00 pm Eastern and now it's 11:07. I hope this is alright!)

 

[SilkieSensation]

This is the link to the seller's pictures: http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-Assorted...354?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c6f62352

(The temp to my incubator is only at 97* from when I turned the eggs at 10:00 pm Eastern and now it's 11:07. I hope this is alright!)

Bills don't look super tiny to me so I would say decent breeder quality but definitely not Show quality. They should do OK hatching on their own without too much assistance.

97F is a bit low. Try to very gradually bump it up to 99-100F.

 

[PoultryGirly]

It was 99* until I hand-turned the eggs. The red light for heating is on, though, so it's trying! And I'm glad that my ducklings shouldn't have too much trouble hatching!

 

[SilkieSensation]

It was 99* until I hand-turned the eggs. The red light for heating is on, though, so it's trying! And I'm glad that my ducklings shouldn't have too much trouble hatching!

If your bator typically takes this long to warm back up after a turn then just let it do it's thing.

 

[PoultryGirly]

SilkieSensation, I have a few more questions.
1. My eggs call duck eggs have 5 days left and they eggs are only half to 2/3 full. Is this normal because they're small ducks?
2. Some eggs have dark black spots/squiggles in them. It looks like bacteria or something (maybe thick vain ?) but the embryo is still moving.
3. The temperature was about 99* F in my still air incubator this while incubation. Will this cause them to be late?
4. One or 2 eggs have lots if veins in them but the actual duckling looks smaller than the others. What happened?
5. I candled today and all 16 eggs have movement except one. In this egg the duckling is very big and fills almost the complete egg. Is it possible it's still alive?
6. What do I do with the eggs with saddle air cells during lockdown?

 

[SilkieSensation]

SilkieSensation, I have a few more questions.
1. My eggs call duck eggs have 5 days left and they eggs are only half to 2/3 full. Is this normal because they're small ducks?

2. Some eggs have dark black spots/squiggles in them. It looks like bacteria or something (maybe thick vain ?) but the embryo is still moving.

3. The temperature was about 99* F in my still air incubator this while incubation. Will this cause them to be late?

4. One or 2 eggs have lots if veins in them but the actual duckling looks smaller than the others. What happened?

5. I candled today and all 16 eggs have movement except one. In this egg the duckling is very big and fills almost the complete egg. Is it possible it's still alive?

6. What do I do with the eggs with saddle air cells during lockdown?

You can leave them upright in cartons or lay them on their sides. I just hatched an entire batch with wonky air cells & had to assist every baby. Usually they will be fine & can make i out on their own but in my case they were so extreme the babies couldn't even reach the shell after pip.

 

[Chick a dee1023]

How long should I wait from the initial internal pip before I start to worry/assist my eggs? (runners). One internally pipped yesterday, one I can't tell if it pipped or not, it looks like it may have, but I'm not positive yet so I am leaving that one alone!

Edit: Sorry, I meant to post this on the incubators anonymous thread...... I wasn't paying attention. Duh me

 

[SilkieSensation]

How long should I wait from the initial internal pip before I start to worry/assist my eggs? (runners). One internally pipped yesterday, one I can't tell if it pipped or not, it looks like it may have, but I'm not positive yet so I am leaving that one alone!

Edit: Sorry, I meant to post this on the incubators anonymous thread...... I wasn't paying attention. Duh me

You're fine. I can answer.

Ducks take about 24 hours from internal pip to external pip, another 24-48 hours from external pip to fully hatched. So you may start hearing babies a full 3 days before you actually have any out of the shell.