Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!

[carcar80]

I never actually "removed" anything, exactly. When I did help, I would "chirp" to him (causing him to push against the egg) and as he did I would push my thumb nail (gingerly) into the shell to sort of "extend" the pip, following the trail a "correct" pip would have made. Usually just one small new crack and then he would rest. Give him a few seconds, peep at him, wait for a reaction and extend the pip as he pushed. This way I wasn't actually taking shell off of him, just helping him do the part he never was able to. More of a natural-feeling process. Once I could tell he was free of all the gooey stuff inside I pulled the "cap" off the egg and let him struggle his own way out. Make sense? That way you're not "truly" interrupting anything going on in the bottom half of the egg with veins and such, hopefully.

That's what I did. But like I said not until it was very obvious that he was ticked off and ready to get the heck outta there!

 

[mccombs]

That sounds like a brilliant way of doing things! If he's still struggling when I get home I may begin to make a little crack. I'm just concerned as he pipped downwards that he'll begin struggling for air if I leave him too long. It will be 24 hours by the time I get back to him.
Just take it slowly?

 

[carcar80]

Yep. And as long as there's a hole he can breathe. Checking for updates from work, lol. Hurry up ducky!!

 

[mccombs]

It'll be another 3/4 hours or so before I will get home, I'll keep you posted though, I promise! I can't tell you how grateful I am for your advice and support!
Forgot to say, there was the dimple of a pip in another egg this morning! Hopefully he can do it himself!

 

[iluvsedward]

Oh my! I've never hatched ducks before and I hear they take a long time to hatch, that's not a good thing for me because I've got an itchy helping hand here...

Anyway, I would just leave him be for a few hours, sometimes they surprise you by hatching by themselves when you thought they needed help. If he hatches by himself while you're away, he'll be fine in the bator. The inner membrane should be sticky and gooey and have veins running through it. The outer should be attached to the shell and kinda paper-ish or rubbery. The inner membrane is the one you have to worry about. Observe it closely and look to see if the veins look really red or more faint, or even clear/empty. If they're faint it means that it he is ready to hatch, if they're really red don't touch!!!!

 

[carcar80]

^^correct^^ don't help until you KNOW you have to!!

 

[carcar80]

^^correct^^ don't help until you KNOW you have to!!

 

[mccombs]

Ahhh this makes a lot of sense!
When I made his breathing hole I pulled away a little of the dry paper membrane, and the inside membrane was wet and pink, which I assume means that he was still absorbing blood?! Hopefully that's a good thing as it means he wasn't ready to hatch yet?

 

[mccombs]

How's this looking? Just chipped a little more shell and a little membrane and he poked right out to say hi! Cheeping away but not able to make any progress. Shall I leave him a while or continue? Inner membrane is super gummy, like thick glue. Is that normal?

 

[mccombs]

Also is that the top or bottom of his bill?