Duck Hatching Question.

[SeaSkyShore]

How long does it usually take from first external pip to active hatching? I want to know when I need to start worrying about my eggs.

 

[mnferalkitty]

One thing that threw me for loop when I first started hatching duck eggs is they pip then make a hole in egg and work on that hole to zip and sometimes it can take 2-3 days!!

 

[Arielle]

Perfect timing on this question. DH husband is bugging me about a duckling that internally pipped yesterday and has not externally pipped. He wants me to open it.

Honestly I'm a little concerned too. Last one was quick to hatch.

 

[SeaSkyShore]

Thank you for the response! My husband and I are nervous about this hatch. Our first one (the one previous to this batch) had only 2 eggs and one died mid hatch. It just stopped moving and peeping all of a sudden. We discovered that the membrane was very dry and we (against most advice, I know) helped the second one out a little bit. That one luckily is now very healthy and happy.

So that first experience primed us to fret a bit about these eggs.

 

[mnferalkitty]

How I bump up humidity in bator is this way
1. At lockdown I make sure water tray in bator is full
2. place 4 thick long sanitary napkins soaked in water in bator on the wire 3 folded in half in 3 of the corners and the other soaked in water kept long and placed on the wire floor underneath where the air holes are that way I can add water with a big syringe that fish aquarium tubing attached to end of syringe so I can add water to sanitary napkin if needed via the tubing through the air hole then I don't have to open bator..
3. I try to place eggs so they are not resting on the wet sanitary pads.