Duck egg air sac/humidity, am I doing this right??? (pictures attached)

[wheresbigfoot]

Is that the belly button why is it so big .. yikes whats going on ... do I do anything or let her chill? I've got her laying on a small bowl thing hoping she cant kick out until ready .. does that position look ok????

 

[Miss Lydia]

How is your duckling today? and have any more hatched?

 

[wheresbigfoot]

She's - or he I guess - doing great. I was up until 2am my time reading, looking at pictures of unabsorbed yolk, or intestines, _______ insert anything that slightly resembled what I was looking at or just scared the crap out of me ... but at some point .. honestly have no idea what time .. she kicked out of there. I freaked for a moment thinking the worst but soon noticed no yellow, or red, or scary things. Just a little "booger" type hanging from her - put bacitracin on it and she was soon flopping around the bator. My brooder had been on for a while so as soon as I could get her out I did. I have one little one left in there. The 5 others were malpositioned! 5! I was so upset! One I could see a dark mark on the egg where he tried to pip but thats the only one. I waited and waited. 3 of the 5 I hadnt seen movement for a while but wanted to wait just incase. My first hatching experience was opening (what I now know) a totally viable egg cause it was barely late- mama duck had others so I thought maybe she was done- and of course didnt be careful incase there was a live bird. Felt terrible for days afterwards.

So I've got one running around the brooder and one thats got her head out but not quite ready to pop out. Still hanging around the bator waiting on a friend

 

[Knighstar679]

She's - or he I guess - doing great. I was up until 2am my time reading, looking at pictures of unabsorbed yolk, or intestines, _______ insert anything that slightly resembled what I was looking at or just scared the crap out of me ... but at some point .. honestly have no idea what time .. she kicked out of there. I freaked for a moment thinking the worst but soon noticed no yellow, or red, or scary things. Just a little "booger" type hanging from her - put bacitracin on it and she was soon flopping around the bator. My brooder had been on for a while so as soon as I could get her out I did. I have one little one left in there. The 5 others were malpositioned! 5! I was so upset! One I could see a dark mark on the egg where he tried to pip but thats the only one. I waited and waited. 3 of the 5 I hadnt seen movement for a while but wanted to wait just incase. My first hatching experience was opening (what I now know) a totally viable egg cause it was barely late- mama duck had others so I thought maybe she was done- and of course didnt be careful incase there was a live bird. Felt terrible for days afterwards.

So I've got one running around the brooder and one thats got her head out but not quite ready to pop out. Still hanging around the bator waiting on a friend

I had 5 out of 8 malpositioned too. It was a nerve wracking night.

 

[wheresbigfoot]

I had 5 out of 8 malpositioned too. It was a nerve wracking night.

I was so mad! It's so hard as I'm just never sure.. need more experience which will definitely be happening.. hatching is insane to me - one minute is just veins, then some movement but can't make out a bird, then you can see and hear peeping, the hatch then running around the brooder. I was sure when I was watching her in the bator she was going to hurt herself or something- typical new parent/duck mom/chiks etc fears. You get attached before they even hatch! I am happy with 1 but really want the second to pull through.. don't want lonely babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I sure hope the second one makes it out fine. So sorry you lost 5 of them.

 

[wheresbigfoot]

As far as the other duckling ..

I **think** she internally pipped on Friday (day 28) .. that's when I saw the others external and thought I heard different peeping.. she was the one I was concerned about because her air sac hadn't grown like the others. It wasn't crazy small but small enough to make be worried. Saturday morning (day 29) made safety hole, set her in to chill while the other one hatched. Not a lot of rocking, or peeping or tapping all day. I chipped away at shell in the air sac - enough to get a look. Membrane looked kinda whiteish used coconut oil to wet it. Still some veins but looking thin. Again put her back - I won't do anything if I see any questionable veins...just keep wetting through the night. She was able to breathe through her pip hole that she made so I didn't worry too much. No more progress throughout the night. I made the hole a little bigger(shell not inner membrane) still in the air space - veins looked to be receding, starting to look like strands of hair and she was pushing, peeping and trying to nibble. She couldn't move well but had nothing blocking her nose/bill. She finally made some progress as the hole was getting bigger. It looked as though it was tight around her and not many veins. She also looked like there was "gunk" on her. Again I made sure there was no gunk on her bill so she could breathe and just let her do her thing - there didn't look to be a ton surrounding her or filling up the egg or anything. Got her head free and one tiny wing. She was still attached to the bottom so I did "duck in a cup".. shes been there sleeping and peeping. As her feathers were drying the look like there drying hard (like hair gel would) . She looks to also have a large belly button or yolk sack - although doesn't look yellow but can see some veins. I have not moved her and just letting her sleep. I will post a picture right after I post this reply. --why would her feathers be hard? Did she hatch too soon? Anything I should do?

..going to take picture now .. I hope she isn't in bad shape

 

[wheresbigfoot]

I sure hope the second one makes it out fine. So sorry you lost 5 of them.

Thank You! Shipped eggs so I guess that could be the cause. I've read the article on assisting and am comfortable enough to a little assist but not a malposition especially having no idea where the beak would even be. If not because of shipped - I did something wrong somewhere .. will continue to educate myself

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope she isn't either. Sounds like the goo from the egg is stuck on her wing you'll just have to wait till she hatches and dries before trying to get it off.

If her yolk sac hasn't absorbed yet you need to leave her alone and give it time too. That's her food for the next 2 days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope @WVduckchick gets on soon. I know nothing about mispositioned eggs since I don't hatch in bators although I have had duck and chicken eggs sent to me through the mail and my Muscovy's and chicken hens hatched them.