Duck Eggs in Lockdown - Peeping but no pips?

[Abraeri]

So it is Day 26 for my duck eggs and I put them into lockdown yesterday. I candled right before putting them into lockdown and could see shadows in the air cell in all of them except for 1 or 2. They were moving around as well. I put a no-slip liner underneath the eggs and positioned them so the bigger part if the air cell is facing upwards. Today I heard peeping, but still no external pips. I know duck eggs are supposed to hatch in 28 days and it's only day 26.

Just to make sure, if there are shadows in the air cell, that means they have internally pipped, right?

When should I expect them to externally pip?

Am I just being too impatient?

 

[Abraeri]

FINALLY!!!!



Here's the little bugger:

He started zipping at 3:00 and finally hatched right now. I had to give him a little help in breaking the membrane because even after zipping all the way around, he was just pushing and could not rip the membrane so I went in with tweezers. He's peeping his head off the silly thing.

9 out of 9 healthy hatches on my first try. I'm going to call it a day

 

[Abraeri]

I'm glad I waited because the wrong ender has hatched!!!!

 

[chickens really]

WAIT A SECOND! I just looked again with a flashlight and THERE IS A PIP!!!! Small one but one nonetheless

Perfect...Keep waiting and don't start helping..Won't hatch for another 24 hours or more. They pip then pip again right beside that one and then zip out and sleep lots in between each thing that happens..

 

[Abraeri]

Here's a snapshot from the video I set up of the eggs in the incubator. There is one more row of 3 eggs in the bottom not seen (9 eggs total). When I whistle the one in the middle is rocking. I could be positive that will be the next one to pip! They are going crazy in their with their little peeps!

 

[chickens really]

I am very excited lol as you can tell by the all caps sentences

I look forward to them hatching..It's always exciting..I have 26 Calls due the week before Easter and on my 3rd hatch of this year..Its always exciting..........

 

[Abraeri]

Well, 7 hours after the third, pip number four! These little things sure like to take their time!

 

[Abraeri]

DUCKLING!

he/she is peeping away and pecking at the sides of the incubator. The humidity is at 79? I don't know why, it was at 65 when I left home.

 

[WVduckchick]

The one I had lost hope on kind of has pipped!

The egg I told you had a black spot yesterday is pipping from the wrong end!!!

What do I do? It looks like its zipping, will it be fine?

Keep an eye on the wrong-ender. If it gets stuck, sometimes the wrong end is too tight for them to turn, you might have to help. But hopefully it will do ok on its own.

Should I do anything to lower humidity, it's at 80 now... or is that fine?

Humidity just jumped because of wet ducklings. It will drop back down as they dry off.

 

[Abraeri]

Here's a pic of all the siblings bunched up together Siblings