Duck eggs - hatching queries

[Kate2402]

Hi all.

I have been incubating 10 indian runner duck eggs for the last month (all seemed viable when candling, an additional 2 were removed from the original dozen after a week). 3 ducklings hatched quickly, independently and surprisingly easily on day 28. They are doing great in their brooder and I love them.

I thought that might have been it but last night (end of day 29) another started to hatch. I watched him for 3 hours trying to peck his way out of there and he seemed to be making steady but slow progress. I expected him to be out by this morning, but he wasn't. Its now been 14hours since I noticed him starting to hatch. He has continued to make very slow progress all this time and he is cheeping and still moving so I think hes OK, just wanting to check that this is normal- I think i was a bit spoiled by having my first 3 hatches be so easy! Most of the membrane is still white and I havent opened the incubator at all since he's pipped.

I'm a bit concerned because its so gross inside the incubator as there is poop and stuff from the first 3 ducklings in there - the water in the bottom is very yucky and brown, is this going to impact further hatches at all? I'm not sure what I can do about it really but it just seems so disgusting

Just looking for some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing and words of wisdom from hatchers who have more experience than I do!

Also, at what point should I give up on the remaining 6 eggs (one seems to have a small external pip bump but no progress with that in the last 24hrs, and I cant see anything on the others, I'm at Day 30 now)

Thank you so much

 

[ibarbidahl]

OK so - it typically can take 24 hours from internal to external pip and another 24 to zip and hatch. If you feel it has been longer than that and you still have movement you can look up assisted hatch. That may help. Generally ducklings take much longer to hatch because the eggs are so much thicker than a chickens eggs.
Good luck!