1st Egg off 1st Hatch - Exterior Pip - Wrong End. 12 hours...no sound, no movement

[TinasUrbanGarden]

1st Egg off 1st Hatch - Exterior Pip - Wrong End. 12 hours...no sound, no movement. Beak or maybe a foot sticking out hole since 6 a.m. today. no sound or movement at all...

I have tried lightly pressing the beak or foot...no movement


please assist

 

[Pyxis]

Can you post a picture?

Wrong end pippers don't get to internally pip, so the time they would normally spend in the air cell needs to be added to the time they would normally take from external pip to zip, because they never got the time in the air cell to breathe, rest, and absorb. So you could have 48 hours more to go here before it hatches, potentially even longer since ducks are slow hatchers. The good news is that in this position they can still hatch themselves most of the time.

However, the lack of movement is a bit concerning. The concern would be that after pipping it somehow blocked off its air supply, or it may have unfortunately hit a vein and bled out since it didn't have a safe space to pip like those that are correctly positioned do. A picture will help tell what's going on.

 

[TinasUrbanGarden]

Unfortunately, he didn't make it. About the 14 hour i did lightly press on his beak again that was out of the hole and since there was still no movement, i did start to peel away at the outer shell. i noticed the liner was very thick (2nd layer). I knew he was dead but i still carefully peeled away that layer to. The sad part after i completely uncovered him was that there appeared to be nothing wrong with him. He had a little bit of sticky but probably because the hole he made started drying the inside out with no movement for so long. he wasn't in any weird position, no blood. His little baby eyes were open..He looked perfect..thats why i am so sad. Could it be the middle layer was too thick? or that he was too early? the rest are just starting to external pip now...that middle layer on the rest look just as thick. I have a few that the air sack is on the side of the egg. should i spray them with warm water?

20/20 I wish i would have started assisting him a couple hours after i found his beak out that morning. when i didn't see movement after 2-3 hours but all the articles i read say DO NOT ASSIST. I didn't want to be that person that killed their duckling out of impatience or ignorance.

 

[TinasUrbanGarden]

I am nervous and to change the subject, Pyxis, thank you for the reply and i noticed you have rabbits. I can not seem to find the bunny i am looking for...maybe you can advise. I want that lop look (short ears that lay flat and round face and body) but i want it to be huge like a Rex. I have read lots of feedback online about PetSmart selling these mini lops. Customers were outraged because they got huge and that is exactly what i am looking for. I called 5 PetSmarts so excited about getting one of these oversized lops but they stopped selling them because of all the complaints. Where can i find a super sized lop? I know it sounds awful..i don't want to adopt because i want to train my bunny right out of the gate

 

[Pyxis]

Sorry you lost the little one You did what you could. Generally you should wait to start an assist, but if the duckling starts to peep less or move less, it's never a bad idea to open the pip a little wider to assess what's going on. In the case of your duckling, I would think probably the pip wasn't large enough, and he may not have gotten the air he needed.

For the rest, they are probably okay on their own. If you want to carefully widen their pips to make sure they can get air, that's fine. I'll post this guide here in case you need it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

On the rabbit front, yep, I have Netherland Dwarfs! I do not recommend going through a pet shop or a big chain store like Petsmart. The rabbits there will be equivalent to puppies that come out of puppy mills - hastily bred to turn a quick profit, with no regard for health and temperament.

Instead, try to find a local breeder. For a large lop, you might look for someone who has English lops - they are the largest lop breed; however, they don't have the 'smooshed' face like other lops, so they might not interest you . French lops however do, and are the second largest and probably what you are looking for. Mini lops, though they are called mini, are more of a medium sized breed. Then there are the dwarf sized ones, American fuzzy lops and Holland lops.

You could look for a pedigreed baby if that matters to you, but a pedigree isn't really necessary if you're not looking to show. Just make sure the cages are clean and the babies and parents are both healthy.

Since a French lop is probably what you want, here's the ARBA's breeder list for them: https://www.arba.net/breeders.htm#fl

 

[TinasUrbanGarden]

Sorry for the long delay..I did want to post outcome. Aside from being new to this (challenge #1), fertile eggs were laid before hurricane Irma. I'm near Tampa Florida guys...it was bad! I think the change in air pressure and all that lent to challenge #2. So I lost a lot of eggs but the good news is last two hatched! I will tell you the only reason those guys hatched was thanks to the article Pyxis posted (https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/). I have read dozens and dozens of articles on the net and this one by far is the best. I saved the last two by assisting hatch the following way: I came up with an assist plan with time frame UP FRONT. I think it is important so you don't make any rash or emotional decisions. I made a deal with myself that if they didn't make an external pip hole after 3 days of internal pipping I would make a pin hole...which I did. over the course of the next 3 days, every 4 hours i would pick NO more than 3 little bits of outer shell around that hole and then zip area. The most important thing i did of all that i believe saved them is i started misting the eggs with warm water every 3-4 hours after internal pip.

I will not assist again unless the first 2-3 eggs in a hatch fail. Also, this is the last time i will not use an incubator.

Thank you again, Pyxis!
...on the rabbit front, I think i will try to find a mix (mini with a little rex). I like the look of the mini and size of rex.

 

[Pyxis]

Congrats, I'm so glad you were able to get two to hatch! I'm also very happy you found that article helpful; that's why I wrote it, so it's always nice to hear it helped someone

 

[TinasUrbanGarden]

OK, I am in looooove with my ducklings. I want so much to keep them in the house...which i have and it has been a crazy mess! I can not seem to find the right diapers! I prefer the open tail concept. Everything i looked at online is either out of business or looks sooo uncomfortable. I have ruined countless pairs of socks, bras, bathing suit tops, disposable diapers, yes, and even my lingerie trying to "diy diapers".
It would be really nice to get something that would adjust for growth since they grow so fast! Please assist!

Again, thank you to Pyxis for the article that saved my babies lives!

so i have to ask people....
Why chickens???? Sorry, Chicken Lovers, there is no comparison! I like chickens, don't get me wrong, Ducks are far better! Ducks love you! They love to cuddle, they are so much smarter.. I taught one of my ducks to give kisses and he is a non-imprinted duck. My ducklings run to me when they hear my voice!