36 hours since first pip... help

[CrazyQuackLady]

I am very new so please forgive my mistakes. This is my first hatch. In Canada for reference.

Backstory: This is going to sound a little crazy (At least to my social circle it does). I was coming home from town and there was a mallard duck on my driveway. She flew off and left a little present behind. A single egg. Now I didn't want her making a nest on my driveway (we have cats/dogs/farm equipment use it regularly) so I picked it up instantly. I am planning on having chickens this year, so I am slowly equipping myself with the basics. So I have an incubator. I thought "heck lets put it in and see what happens". Turns out it is fertile and now I am committed.

Now: It is day 27. It internally pipped on the night of May 17th (day 25). It then externally pipped at some point during that night. I woke to find the first pip the next morning (day 26). It has since been AT LEAST 36 hours since the first pip. There has been some progress, but not much. Maybe 1cm of cracked shell (zipping?). The membrane is now drying out and turning brown (despite my incubator being 80% humidity). I took it out to make sure the little gaffer was still kicking. She is tapping and chirping away (oh my gurrrrrrd so cute), but she only seems interested in the hole, and not moving to anywhere else. Should I leave her? Should I help her? It has been an awfully long time.

I appreciate all of your help in advance!

 

[Kassaundra]

I know little about duck hatching, but absolutely know shrink wrapping will kill a chick. If it were mine I would assist it to hatch. I have assisted many shrink wrapped chickens. My incubator shrink wraps even w/ high humidity too.

 

[chickens really]

If your opening the incubator up lots your removing the Humidity it needs to hatch....80 is a bit high...
They can take up to 12 Hours to fully hatch...Possibly as I type this you have a Duckling...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am very new so please forgive my mistakes. This is my first hatch. In Canada for reference.

Backstory: This is going to sound a little crazy (At least to my social circle it does). I was coming home from town and there was a mallard duck on my driveway. She flew off and left a little present behind. A single egg. Now I didn't want her making a nest on my driveway (we have cats/dogs/farm equipment use it regularly) so I picked it up instantly. I am planning on having chickens this year, so I am slowly equipping myself with the basics. So I have an incubator. I thought "heck lets put it in and see what happens". Turns out it is fertile and now I am committed.

Now: It is day 27. It internally pipped on the night of May 17th (day 25). It then externally pipped at some point during that night. I woke to find the first pip the next morning (day 26). It has since been AT LEAST 36 hours since the first pip. There has been some progress, but not much. Maybe 1cm of cracked shell (zipping?). The membrane is now drying out and turning brown (despite my incubator being 80% humidity). I took it out to make sure the little gaffer was still kicking. She is tapping and chirping away (oh my gurrrrrrd so cute), but she only seems interested in the hole, and not moving to anywhere else. Should I leave her? Should I help her? It has been an awfully long time.

I appreciate all of your help in advance!

Ducks can take twice as long as chicks. Chicks should not be assisted until 24 hours without progression and only if the vascular system to the egg has shut down. Ducks should be given closer to 48 unless there are signs of complications. No matter what your humidity, exposed membranes sitting exposed for long periods of time will dry out start turning brown. When you have exposed membrane a light coat of Vaseline, non pain relief neosporin or coconut oil over the exposed membrane will moisten it and keep it moist. You will want to make sure that the inner membrane is not dried to the duckling as well hindering progress.

 

[CrazyQuackLady]

Thanks everyone. The little guy has made it and is doing fine. He just didn't seem to be making any progress (his beak was just sitting at the hole and wouldn't move) so I helped chip away at it over the course of 4 hours last night. Made the final breakthrough on his own though at about 1:00 am this morning. I admittedly passed out by then but his loud chirps woke me up. Overall took minimum 41 hours (likely more, given I didn't see when the first pip happened). AmyLynn2374, wish I had waited now that you responded

I'm going to go to the hatchery on Tuesday to see if I can get him a little buddy. I know they don't do well on their own. Hopefully they have ducklings in stock.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks everyone. The little guy has made it and is doing fine. He just didn't seem to be making any progress (his beak was just sitting at the hole and wouldn't move) so I helped chip away at it over the course of 4 hours last night. Made the final breakthrough on his own though at about 1:00 am this morning. I admittedly passed out by then but his loud chirps woke me up. Overall took minimum 41 hours (likely more, given I didn't see when the first pip happened). AmyLynn2374, wish I had waited now that you responded

I'm going to go to the hatchery on Tuesday to see if I can get him a little buddy. I know they don't do well on their own. Hopefully they have ducklings in stock.

As long as there were no heavy veining or bleeding, you're great! Congrats on the little guy/girl.