Duck egg hatching questions.

[Foul Mouth Farm]

I posted earlier and got no response but I have questions! I’m a first time Hatcher and have one egg that internally pipped at some point overnight last night or very early this morning. This morning it was rocking and peeping at me.
Now it’s not rocking and the peeps are less frequent. I did take it out and put it to my ear and heard tiny tapping noises. I can still see him breathing in there. So my questions:
Is it common for peeping to calm down over time during internal pipping? And movement to slow as well?
Should I do a safety hole tonight before bed? Thank you

Current temp and humidity in still air:
100.8
67/71%

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the temperature is correct, that may be a bit high. Near hatching, the embryo is generating some of its own heat so it can actually be lowered to 99 or 98.5.
It doesn't matter now what the humidity in the incubator is because that went out the window when you took the egg out.
It is likely shrink wrapped by now and you may need to intervene.
I always tell people when they incubate (especially first timers) is to sit on their hands or get a hobby. Intervention before there is a problem, becomes a problem.

 

[Foul Mouth Farm]

If the temperature is correct, that may be a bit high. Near hatching, the embryo is generating some of its own heat so it can actually be lowered to 99 or 98.5.
It doesn't matter now what the humidity in the incubator is because that went out the window when you took the egg out.
It is likely shrink wrapped by now and you may need to intervene.
I always tell people when they incubate (especially first timers) is to sit on their hands or get a hobby. Intervention before there is a problem, becomes a problem.

Could it still be shrink wrapped if he’s moving? The last time I took him out was around 11:30 and my humidity has been stable since.
I upped the temp by a degree since I’m using still air and was under the impression it had to run warmer than forced air.
Should I make a safety hole tonight?
Thank you for your reply!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You are right. In a still air, the temperature should be 100.5 if you are measuring at the top of the egg. That assumes hot air rises making the center of mass of the egg is at 99.5.
Shrink wrapping happens in seconds. The moment the incubator is opened, it is exposed to ambient humidity. Unless the humidity in your home is 65+, it happens.
It could be shrink wrapped but you'll see the head and beak move because it has already broken through that part of the inner membrane but the legs and wings will be bound up.

 

[Foul Mouth Farm]

You are right. In a still air, the temperature should be 100.5 if you are measuring at the top of the egg. That assumes hot air rises making the center of mass of the egg is at 99.5.
Shrink wrapping happens in seconds. The moment the incubator is opened, it is exposed to ambient humidity. Unless the humidity in your home is 65+, it happens.
It could be shrink wrapped but you'll see the head and beak move because it has already broken through that part of the inner membrane but the legs and wings will be bound up.

If he hasn’t made progress should I chip away at the air sac?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How long since the first external pip?
How many other eggs hatched and when?

 

[Foul Mouth Farm]

How long since the first external pip?
How many other eggs hatched and when?

He pipped sometime between 10pm-5am. I’ve had 2 others hatch so far and one left with good veining but not ready

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What day were the eggs set and when did they come up to temperature?
But judging from what you said, I'd probably start cracking the shell on the large end and observe if the membrane is in fact shrunken on the body and I bet it is. If so, you can probably continue to remove shell and with a q-tip or some other means, try to moisten the membrane with warm water or vegetable oil. If you encounter blood, stop.
The legs need to be able to move and extend for it to break free on its own.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can determine the course of action partly by the timing of the other eggs. If the eggs are the same size, from the same breed and the same age (since being laid), they should all hatch within about 24 hours of each other.