Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!

[mccombs]

Oh please don't say that! I was kinda hoping mine would be just super cute AND super clean! Do they eat your garden up?!

 

[carcar80]

LOL! oh I only meant my babies I have at the moment. My big ones are all free range so no mess at all.

And they do like to snatch a tomato here and there, MUCH to my hubby's dismay, but nothing too bad as of yet.

 

[mccombs]

Oh good! Haha I can't wait! My little guy has made a tiny hole but hasn't made any progress in 5 hours, is that normal?

 

[mccombs]

Also, membrane through the hole is yellow - is this bad?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Also, membrane through the hole is yellow - is this bad?

Sounds like it may be drying out? what is your humidity in your bator.Might want to read this, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...days-ago-but-no-external-pip-yet#post_8686492 not saying you should intervene, it can take ducklings along time to pip and zip as long as 36 hrs.and they rest and sleep in between working to get out. when you talk to it are you seeing or hearing anything.

 

[mccombs]

Hi, I've just read that. Humidity is about 70% but drops to about 50 when I open the bator. It recovers really quickly though. I've managed to make a little hole in the external membrane so he can breathe and there was a lot of wiggling when I looked inside! I'm nervous to remove any more because I could see what I think were red veins on the inside. How do I know what is external and what is internal membranes? I'm terrified to go to sleep incase he needs me

 

[mccombs]

Sounds like it may be drying out? what is your humidity in your bator.Might want to read this, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...days-ago-but-no-external-pip-yet#post_8686492   not saying you should intervene, it can take ducklings along time to pip and zip as long as 36 hrs.and they rest and sleep in between working to get out. when you talk to it are you seeing or hearing anything.

Just looked again and no progress. He's pushing against the yellowing membrane but can't break through - I can see red veins through the hole and he's wiggling about! He pushed his beak out the hole and bubbles came out too?
I'm going to get some sleep, but will set my alarm for 4 hours time. He can definitely breathe, do I need to assist any further or just leave him to it now?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[carcar80]

Update?

 

[mccombs]

How does this look to people? It's 3am now, nearly 12 hours since he started to pip and he's made no progress on his own. I've just chipped away a little more shell and membrane. I've got to go to work at 8am, what do I do?

 

[mccombs]

The bill half pokes out the hole and he wiggles and cheeps whenever I go in...