day 30 and still no ducklings? PLEASE ANSWER IN WORRIED

[QuackerJackFarms]

The one with the gunk might need a little help if it doesn't get out before it dries. I've had a couple like that. But if it's only been 7 hours, I'd give it until tmw.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So she should just relax a bit? see why I couldn't use a bator? I would be in the nut house.. My bantam cochin hatched out 3 chicks today and all I had to do was look at them. What a relief.

Awesome! That's great! I think you're doing good.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

So she should just relax a bit? see why I couldn't use a bator? I would be in the nut house.. My bantam cochin hatched out 3 chicks today and all I had to do was look at them. What a relief.

I think so. Someone else might disagree, but that's what I'd do. They've all pipped, her humidity is good... I've never had a duckling hatch in under 24 hours.

Well, except for Little Eddie. Remember him? But he's.. "special".

 

[70%cocoa]

I agree. Wait.

Perhaps the temperature was a bit low throughout the hatch? Did you count Day 1 starting at 24 hours after you put the eggs in?

Fingers are crossed for you!!

 

[nikkis224]

I agree. Wait.

Perhaps the temperature was a bit low throughout the hatch? Did you count Day 1 starting at 24 hours after you put the eggs in?

Fingers are crossed for you!!

yes i counted out the days right and im pretty sure the temp was right too. should it be this wet in side the duck egg

 

[70%cocoa]

It shouldn't be too wet inside the duck egg. It sounds like your egg is wetter than normal. That is usually because there has not been enough evaporation of moisture from the egg during the incubation period.

An egg can fail to lose enough moisture if the humidity is too high (preventing it from drying out enough) or the egg shell is too thick (which can happen especially with young ducks and also at the beginning of the laying season).

You can tell how much moisture an egg is losing if you look at the size of the air cell - bigger air cell = more moisture loss. By the hatch time the air cell should be about a third of the egg. For next time, candle the eggs a few times during the incubation to check on the size of the air cell. If it is growing too slowly, lower the humidity to dry things out faster.

For now, just leave things as they are. If the holes are no bigger in 24 hours time then you can help a bit by taking away a bit of shell and membrane - tiny pieces at a time Tweezers are good for this. If you do it in a steamy bathroom this will replicate the incubator environment. Stop the second you see any bleeding. Don't panic, just put the egg back and try again an hour or so later.

But it is too early to intervene yet.

 

[nikkis224]

It shouldn't be too wet inside the duck egg. It sounds like your egg is wetter than normal. That is usually because there has not been enough evaporation of moisture from the egg during the incubation period.

An egg can fail to lose enough moisture if the humidity is too high (preventing it from drying out enough) or the egg shell is too thick (which can happen especially with young ducks and also at the beginning of the laying season).

You can tell how much moisture an egg is losing if you look at the size of the air cell - bigger air cell = more moisture loss. By the hatch time the air cell should be about a third of the egg. For next time, candle the eggs a few times during the incubation to check on the size of the air cell. If it is growing too slowly, lower the humidity to dry things out faster.

For now, just leave things as they are. If the holes are no bigger in 24 hours time then you can help a bit by taking away a bit of shell and membrane - tiny pieces at a time Tweezers are good for this. If you do it in a steamy bathroom this will replicate the incubator environment. Stop the second you see any bleeding. Don't panic, just put the egg back and try again an hour or so later.

But it is too early to intervene yet.

thank you for your help how wet should it be in there? its been like this for about 8 or 9 hours i think. i heard something at 1:30a.m this morning and it was a small hole and then at 3:00a.m i heard it again and the hole was even bigger then at 7:00 am it was even bigger and that is how it is now. when do u think he will hatch? is having it that wet inside the egg hurting him?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't begin to tell you QJ and Cocoa for coming here and helping. Now nikkis listen to them they are experienced at this and can help you alot. Try not to panic. [which i am reading in your last post]

 

[70%cocoa]

If the hole is getting bigger that is a a very good thing.

Now that he has made a nice hole he will be able to breathe, so the extra moisture will not be hurting him. Don't worry about the moisture at this stage for this egg.

In terms of exactly how wet it normally should be...well, the duckling should look wet (feathers plastered down and a bit of goo around) but not enough moisture to drip or run out of the shell.

I know that it is really stressful but just leave him be and wait. It's never a good idea to intervene less than 24 hours after they have made a hole in the shell. The duckling has to absorb the yolk and blood and turn around inside the shell. All that has to happen before they can come out and it happens after they make that first hole in the shell.

How are the other eggs looking?

 

[nikkis224]

ok thank you and another one just made a hole in his egg!!!!!