Duck eggs soon to hatch?

[MGG]

Only assist if they stop for several hours in the middle of zipping or if they pip but don't zip in a matter of 48 hours

 

[Laurenfinn6]

Only assist if they stop for several hours in the middle of zipping or if they pip but don't zip in a matter of 48 hours

Is zipping them breaking out of the shell?

 

[MGG]

You'll know when they internally pip. It's very obvious. Check again this evening maybe.

 

[Laurenfinn6]

You'll know when they internally pip. It's very obvious. Check again this evening maybe.

Okay will do thank you

 

[MGG]

Yup, like a zipper.

 

[MGG]

I have a pic somewhere, hang on a sec.

 

[MGG]

Ok here

 

[MGG]

Thats zipping.

 

[Laurenfinn6]

Ok here

Wow how interesting!!!! I was not expecting them to hatch like that at all. Thank you for the pictures. I will look for that! About how long after an external pip does the zipping happen?

 

[WVduckchick]

It can take ducklings 40+ hours to start zipping after the first pip. Many times they make multiple pips, near the first one, as they work their way into zipping position.

Pips can be hard to notice, shine your light across the eggs from all angles looking for bumps on the shell.

Here’s another pic of a zip. Once they start zipping, they shouldn’t stop more than a few minutes at a time. They hit the shell, rotate a little, then hit the shell again, right next to the last spot, which causes the end to break off, once they get all the way around. If they stop for more than 10-15 minutes at a time — once they fully start zipping — I break the cap off for them.