Duckling dying after external pipping- yolk rupture

[madi218]

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this or could guide me to why this might of happened. It's day 27 of incubation, and I have two eggs that have externally pipped, and one egg that externally pipped yesterday morning. It was the only one that had its beak sticking out of the pip and was doing the usual chewing motions (photo). It seemed okay, being externally pipped for about 29 hours but then I noticed there was a lot of yellow fluid covering it and the membranes, and it stopped chewing and cheeping. I tapped on the incubator but it didn't respond. I was concerned and pulled it out (with some coconut oil ready to moisten the membrane) and it didn't respond at all even to touching the beak. I realised it had died within 30 minutes. I thought that it had brain exposed from looking inside but this was actually the yolk sack being positioned on top of the head, and it was clearly ruptured with that being the yellow fluid on the duckling. It was otherwise fully formed. I'm not sure if it drowned in the yolk or died from the rupture. Was there anything I could've done differently in the incubation or hatching process that would've stopped this? For reference, I did between 50-55% humidity and 37.5C, and then 68% humidity during lockdown.

 

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

@ruthhope

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

Have had this happen to me before. It was not good yolk,it probably caught it on somethin during hatching or was positioned wrong, if the yolk was on top of its head it may have been positioned wrong. I helped 2 ducklings in the same hatch with this problem, I left their lower half in the eggshell and rearanged the yolk underneath them

 

[madi218]

Have had this happen to me before. It was not good yolk,it probably caught it on somethin during hatching or was positioned wrong, if the yolk was on top of its head it may have been positioned wrong. I helped 2 ducklings in the same hatch with this problem, I left their lower half in the eggshell and rearanged the yolk underneath them

That does seem like it was the case. Wish I had've known it was malpositioned before the yolk ruptured and killed the duckling, so I could've rearranged it and allowed absorption. Hoping the other two hatch! (one has pipped in the middle of the egg but seems to be doing okay )

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

Oh dear I have had them in the middle before have always had to help, how logn has it being hatching? If it has been for over 16 hours I'd help if not leave, here is a helping tip:

Open the part where the air sac is. If you see active veins (or any veins at all) stop immediately. The chick will be fine but don't help anymore until they are gone. If there are noe veins then you should help or it could get exhausted. Works for ducks and chickens

 

[madi218]

It's been at least 12 hours, at most 16, as it pipped while I was out last night. I can see it breathing through the pip, so I'm thinking I'll wait until tonight (around 24 hours in) to open up the shell over the air cell a little. I've assisted hatches for chicks before so if it's similar I should be all good. I'm not sure if I should wait longer as I've heard ducklings take longer to go from pip to zip.

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

It's been at least 12 hours, at most 16, as it pipped while I was out last night. I can see it breathing through the pip, so I'm thinking I'll wait until tonight (around 24 hours in) to open up the shell over the air cell a little. I've assisted hatches for chicks before so if it's similar I should be all good. I'm not sure if I should wait longer as I've heard ducklings take longer to go from pip to zip.

Yes that is a good idea if they haven't hatched after 24+ hoursi always help

 

[madi218]

Will assist if I have to and hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to share some duckling pictures

 

[AshVau22]

What kind of ducks are they? Are they shipped eggs? Ducks a very very slow hatchers. Most of my ducks take a good 48 hours from pip to zip and hatch. For the incubating did you do the cooling and misting. It really makes a big difference for development and hatching. I also keep my humidity at lockdown between 75%-80%.

 

[madi218]

They are pekin ducks, not shipped. I did cool them but didn't mist as I was worried about bacteria getting in the egg, if I hatch more I may try it out. I originally had my humidity about 73% but was getting a lot of condensation and read that it meant it might be too high. Would you recommend waiting longer than 24 hours to intervene then?