6 Indian Runner Duck Eggs in Janoel 12 - Day 28 and no Pips

[SharonxH]

This is also an excellent thread to read through - all the information is in the first post. It's in the Goose forum but applies to any incubated eggs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/

It explains how you can candle and see a void when the yolk is absorbed and that's how I judged when to step in.

Wow, love this article - thank you! Looks like it's time for me to step in according to this.

 

[SharonxH]

Update:

The duckling that pipped externally over 36 hours ago, I opened up this afternoon, to find that the membrane was thick, white and rubbery like a hard-boiled egg's membrane, and the duckling was shrink-wrapped right around its neck. So I had no choice but to release half of the duckling and put it back in the incubator. I did the same with a second that was also shrink-wrapped. The third released itself and was almost out of the shell when I saw a large yolk sac. It was really lively and I tried putting it in a cup to hold it in place while it re-absorbed the yolk, but I discovered that the Janoel 12 has a very low ceiling and even cut down, the bottom of the upper lid pressed down on the duckling and it died. I was so upset. Meanwhile, the second egg that pipped externally yesterday opened up and a duckling literally shot out in less than 10 minutes and went crazy, climbing over the half in half out ducklings and threatening to wreck all life in the incubator. It also became apparent that the Janoel 12 can't be used for allowing the ducklings to dry out as the ceiling is again too low (first time I've done this, so a steep learning curve.) So I had to take this duckling out and cuddle it until it dried out completely. It's now 11pm and it's finally dry and asleep in a box under a light. Tomorrow I'll need to release the two half-hatched chicks (fingers crossed they are ok overnight - they've been peeping loudly) and start releasing the remaining two that haven't externally pipped and are probably also shrink-wrapped. It's been a very exhausting day - and I'm really hoping that tomorrow I have some ducklings that can join the one in the box that hatched unassisted!

 

[igorsMistress]

Good luck with the rest of your hatch!

 

[swampfox440]

Hope you get a good hatch I like the runners .

 

[JaeG]

for your babies. It always takes awhile to figure out a new incubator so that could possibly why you are having issues. Were the eggs shipped? Shipped eggs always seem to have more issues as well.

 

[Jpw208]

Hi there,

I am on Day 28 with my 6 eggs, and see and hear nothing yet. We miscalculated by a day so the eggs went into lockdown a day later than they should have (Day 26) - so we didn't candle them as I didn't want to disturb them. Prior to that, all were moving and seemed to be growing fine on candling.

We didn't get our humidity right until Day 27 - it was a real struggle to raise it to between 75-80% until we add 4 sponges. Now all is well, but I'm worried that all the opening and closing of the incubator and low humidity might have killed them all off. I haven't even marked off the egg sacks, because we were a day late in our calculations - apart from one, which is a day behind the others - and that one has its air sack at the narrow end!

When should we expect to see external pips - I would have thought today?

Would love some support as it's such a stressful time - and I am praying my 9-year-old daughter isn't disappointed by an unsuccessful hatch.

Many thanks in advance!

Hi there! I am now in the same boat, although sadly from our 6 Indian Runner Duck Eggs, only 2 are now left (3 were not developing and sadly we lost an early duckling on Tuesday ) - we are on day 28 and anxiously waiting any signs of hatching! We saw movement in the eggs when we set them for lockdown on day 25, but since then we haven't seen any movement / heard any peeps. Did you have movement in the eggs when candling between day 25-28? Hoping for some reassurance that there is still a chance they are alive!