Duck eggs pipped but no progress in 40 hours

[laaur_92]

Hi, I am looking for some help please. I am a newbie to incubating and have been incubating duck eggs. I have the brinsea manual turner. I am on day 29, yesterday morning around 5am 3 out of 4 eggs pipped. However other than one starting to unzip, one egg has pipped the wrong end and the other one hasn't done anything else at all. I'm worried about the one getting shrink wrapped? It's been about 40 hours with no progress. They are peeping and I can see it moving it's beak against the membrane. I worried it's stuck as nothing is happening. I upped the humidity on day 25 and the window have been steamy. Temperature has been stable about about 37.4 do I need to do anything to help or leave it? Thanks

 

[nao57]

I would intervene if its been that long. I wouldn't take any chances. But the second you keep the incubator open heat will go out and they can get chilled. So I'd try to close it up in warmth again quickly after you do whatever you are going to do.

I would also say, I will bend to those with more experience. If they offer a different point of view, I would prioritize their advise over mine. But essentially you are saying its been nearly 2 straight days with them unable to get free.

I would try to minimize the chances of losing any of them at this point, for the ones who have been trying to get out that long.

I forgot who it was that has a whole guide on when and how to conduct intervention. Its quite useful and I'd definitely look at that.

 

[laaur_92]

I would intervene if its been that long. I wouldn't take any chances. But the second you keep the incubator open heat will go out and they can get chilled. So I'd try to close it up in warmth again quickly after you do whatever you are going to do.

I would also say, I will bend to those with more experience. If they offer a different point of view, I would prioritize their advise over mine. But essentially you are saying its been nearly 2 straight days with them unable to get free.

I would try to minimize the chances of losing any of them at this point, for the ones who have been trying to get out that long.

I forgot who it was that has a whole guide on when and how to conduct intervention. Its quite useful and I'd definitely look at that.

I wasn't going to intervene but I'd be devastated if I lost them all. As we only incubated 4 as pets!
Would you have any advice as the best course of action?

 

[AltonaAcres]

Slowly chip away the shell around the pip. Then use a q-tip dipped in water or melted coconut oil and rub it on the membrane so it becomes see-through, so you can see if there are still veins with blood in them. If not, slowly peel away the membrane and if you see blood, put corn starch on the bleeding area and stop and wait for a few hours.

 

[laaur_92]

No blood at all I managed to get his head out but he's so weak do I leave the others or Intervene?

 

[nao57]

No blood at all I managed to get his head out but he's so weak do I leave the others or Intervene?

Well if he's weak isn't that your answer? The longer they are in the more weak they will get, until...well you can guess the rest.

But think about how much good you can do?

Please try to find the intervention guide on this site for hatching. Its really good. I just forgot who its under. It will show up in some of the threads by the others. One of the points it brings up is the idea of letting them die because they aren't super strong is kind of false. And that sometimes its the bigger chicks not the smaller ones that get stuck.

 

[AngelaY]

I've never hatched ducklings before (although I I have some ready to hatch any day now under my Blue Swedish, Guinevere) but I have hatched chickens, and I usually help them out quite a bit and they always make it. I know that duck hatchings and chicken hatchings are pretty different but I don't think it would be so different that something like that wouldn't work similarly. Also if you take that one egg out of the incubator to help it I think it would be fine, my mama duck will get up off the nest for like 30mins at a time and it's always fine (sidenote it's pretty cold where I live). I think that if my eggs are fine outside without their mama for a little while, then your egg should be fine without the incubator in the warm house for a while. But then again I've always hatched with a broody hen so it might be different with an incubator, I'm not sure... Let us know how it goes?

 

[laaur_92]

I've never hatched ducklings before (although I I have some ready to hatch any day now under my Blue Swedish, Guinevere) but I have hatched chickens, and I usually help them out quite a bit and they always make it. I know that duck hatchings and chicken hatchings are pretty different but I don't think it would be so different that something like that wouldn't work similarly. Also if you take that one egg out of the incubator to help it I think it would be fine, my mama duck will get up off the nest for like 30mins at a time and it's always fine (sidenote it's pretty cold where I live). I think that if my eggs are fine outside without their mama for a little while, then your egg should be fine without the incubator in the warm house for a while. But then again I've always hatched with a broody hen so it might be different with an incubator, I'm not sure... Let us know how it goes?

I got 2 out, both very weak. Occasionally chirping but just lying there. I'm going to get the last out too. I'll leave the one that hasn't pipped.

 

[nao57]

I got 2 out, both very weak. Occasionally chirping but just lying there. I'm going to get the last out too. I'll leave the one that hasn't pipped.

Good. I'm sure after they warm up and dry out they'll get more lively. I'm glad this worked out for you and that you are acting instead of reacting. Hope you can put up some pics!

I can't believe how much fun this kind of stuff is also!

 

[laaur_92]

Good. I'm sure after they warm up and dry out they'll get more lively. I'm glad this worked out for you and that you are acting instead of reacting. Hope you can put up some pics!

I can't believe how much fun this kind of stuff is also!

3 safely out. No bleeding! Bit more movement now and chirping!