Duck Hatching?!

[beckstar]

Hi everyone,

I've spent hours trying to research what is going on with my ducks and I thought things were going normally but then I came home from work and one of my Indian Runners that had pipped the shell was dead with it's little beak hanging out.

3 eggs pipped the shell last night. I am on day 26 and went into lock down last night.


What can I do to save the other ducks that have pipped? It doesn't look like they have broken the membrane but the shells have cracks and they are pushing up. From the pictures that I have seen online it appears that they have pipped in the right spots.

Does anyone have any tips for what to do to help my remaining babies??? I was so excited when my chickens hatched I thought everything was going great!

Thanks for anything!

 

[srpaint]

Is your humidity right? That would be the first thing I would think about.

Unfortunately sometimes the died for no reason too.

If they continue to make no progress you can help them a little. But is a tricky thing. Thin line there. Cause if you help too early you will cause the duck to die if it was not ready to come out.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Leave em go. If you are worried, and cant help your self, then candle. If they are internally pipped (broke through the membrane) then put them in the bator, and wait for external pips. Thats the best you can do. If they dont hatch 24 hours after the external pip, then slowly peal away a bit of shell at a time. If you see blood come from the egg, leave it alone for a hour, and check again. if no progress, then help again slightly. Hope all works.out!

Good luck!

Madison

 

[beckstar]

Thanks for the replies!!

I candled them. Two of them have internally pipped and are in the air sac. This was evident this morning before 6 am.

They also have cracks in the shells but seem to be pushing up against another membrane. I'm worried because the one is already dead even though it got it's beak out.


How long can they go before they die in the shell? I don't want to intervene if I don't have to or too early but I want to if it will help.

Ahhhh! Ducks are so difficult!

 

[beckstar]

Oh yeah, and my humidity has been at or around 50% for the incubation period and up to 75%-80% during lockdown!

 

[thegreypony]

Quote:

 

[IsbelAcresTN]

Sometimes, ducks and chicks can intake fluid from the shell and drown if the egg turns during the hatch process. Then too, sometimes they just die mid hatch for no apparent reason. Hopefully, your other babies will come through with no issues. Let us know how it goes...

 

[beckstar]

Thanks for the input. That is kind of what I was worried about - any way to avoid this with the other two??

 

[srpaint]

If it where me I would give them 24 hours. If they are not moving along them help some. I would do what was said above. Go slow and take the shell off. Sometimes I will just make a small hole so I know they can breathe. But the zipping out part is the fastest part. Once they get going it will go fast. So don't think oh no it is going to take them x amount of more time cause of the zipping out part. It will go fast.

You are only on day 26? right I would let them go someone before I would help too much. Most ducks can get out on their own. I know it makes you worry though when 1 dies.

 

[beckstar]

Ok Thank you!! I will wait a little longer. I am so not going to sleep tonight.....