Duckling pipped over 38 hours ago, still not hatched, day 28.

[hwyaden ty]

I'm hoping someone can help me. I'm incubating 4 Welsh harlequin duck eggs. This is my first hatch, from postal eggs We are on day 28. Out of the 4 eggs 2 have pipped. Egg 1 pipped over 38 hours ago - I can see him poking his bill out on occasions and he is making very very slow progress. Hole is very very slowly getting bigger. The inner membrane looks dry and flakey around the opening. Should I help him along tonight?
Egg 2 has pipped once yesterday and again another small pip over night, so now over 24 hours and still no further along. The other 2 eggs have not pipped at all yet. I can hear peeping and some tapping - not sure who from. Again do I need to do something? My worry is they've got "shrink" wrapped due to low humidity like I have read. I have no way of measuring humidity on my incubator. Have just kept the water topped up and sprayed them before lockdown. I very quickly added some extra water this morning (not lifting whole lid off, just a corner and quickly pooring it in a few seconds max) Is there anything else I can do? I really don't want to lose them and am so anxious!

 

[RubyNala97]

I have never hatched ducks. In fact, I just set my first batch. But a few general tips for hatching...first, you NEED a hygrometer. You can get one for very cheap and they are easy to calibrate. Your local pet store should have 1 in the reptile section. Second, without knowing your humidity it's hard to give specific advice but if the membrane looks yellow/tan/brown and/or shriveled you can use a qtip to moisten it. You can use warm water, bacitracin or antibiotic ointment without pain reliever in it, someone just recommended even using coconut oil. Just make sure you don't get anything near the nostrils of the duck. I don't know how long it takes that breed of duck to progress but while you have the egg out to moisten the membranes you can take a peak at the inner membrane. Dampen it with water and check the veins. If you see full red veins then it's not ready. If it looks like the veins have all receeded then it may be safe to start assisting. Here's a good thread on assisting.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help/600#post_16770710

 

[hwyaden ty]

Thanks for your reply. I have read the assisting link over and over. So decided as it's been over 40 hours now to get him out and have a look. It appears he's malpositioned and has pipped outside of the air sac. I opened the shell near the air sac and dampened it to check the veins. They are still there so have just put him back in on damp tissue to rest / wait until all the veins are gone. Then it looks as though I may need to assist. He's not ready yet anyway. Next time I will definitely need to get a humidity gadget as you suggest. Didn't realise it this time even with all the reading I did. But anyways it doesn't seem humidity related, more malpositioned due to being postage eggs? Very stressful!

 

[RubyNala97]

Thanks for your reply. I have read the assisting link over and over. So decided as it's been over 40 hours now to get him out and have a look. It appears he's malpositioned and has pipped outside of the air sac. I opened the shell near the air sac and dampened it to check the veins. They are still there so have just put him back in on damp tissue to rest / wait until all the veins are gone. Then it looks as though I may need to assist. He's not ready yet anyway. Next time I will definitely need to get a humidity gadget as you suggest. Didn't realise it this time even with all the reading I did. But anyways it doesn't seem humidity related, more malpositioned due to being postage eggs? Very stressful!

Yes, if it's a shipped egg then malposition is common. Do you have a pic of the pip? Also, if he pipped directly through the membrane and not into the air cell then it will take even longer. When they pip into the air cell they start breathing and take about 24 hours. Then they pip the shell and rest and take up to another 24 hours (for chickens, ducks take even longer), but since it did not pip into the air cell, the external pip is like both, internal & external. Those take longer. Good job checking the veins! At least now you know he's not ready, so that's half the battle. Just keep an eye on him, make sure to keep your humidity up and that he's breathing ok and just wait.

 

[hwyaden ty]

Ah now that all makes sense. The others are still only just pipping - he was a day earlier because he had done his inner pip externally. So going by that he wouldn't have been ready until tomorrow morning (I'm in the UK and it's 9pm here). He seems comfy enough. Peeping and resting. Once I know the veins have absorbed I will carry out an assist as per that really helpful web article. Fingers crossed! Xx

 

[RubyNala97]

Ah now that all makes sense. The others are still only just pipping - he was a day earlier because he had done his inner pip externally. So going by that he wouldn't have been ready until tomorrow morning (I'm in the UK and it's 9pm here). He seems comfy enough. Peeping and resting. Once I know the veins have absorbed I will carry out an assist as per that really helpful web article. Fingers crossed! Xx

Yup! You got it! Also 60% of my wrong end pippers (malpositions) zip on their own. So you might not need to help. Just see how he is tomorrow morning. I'm hoping that you wake up and he's out all of his own. But if not you'll do great getting him out!

 

[hwyaden ty]

You were so right. I got up at 5am to check on him. He was still there, in his shell resting and peeping. Just came back down at 7am and he's hatched! All by himself. What a clever fella and so beautiful. Fingers crossed for a buddy whilst I'm at work today!!! Xx

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm so glad he came out on his own. It's better if they can, it strengthens their leg muscles. How did the other eggs do?

 

[hwyaden ty]

Thanks luv for checking back. So out of 6 postal eggs - 2 didn't develop. And out of the 4 that went full term, 1 died (but it's air sac was large and irregular so I suspected it would), 2 hatched unassisted and last night I had to help one hatch as it was a 1.5 days behind the others. So I have 3 babies! The last one is covered in membrane which is why she got stuck I think. I've taken her out of the incubator this morning after drying overnight, but she's not fluffed out because she's cemented with membrane. Should I wash her or leave her? Thanks loads for your support, this as been a traumatic time

 

[RubyNala97]

Thanks luv for checking back. So out of 6 postal eggs - 2 didn't develop. And out of the 4 that went full term, 1 died (but it's air sac was large and irregular so I suspected it would), 2 hatched unassisted and last night I had to help one hatch as it was a 1.5 days behind the others. So I have 3 babies! The last one is covered in membrane which is why she got stuck I think. I've taken her out of the incubator this morning after drying overnight, but she's not fluffed out because she's cemented with membrane. Should I wash her or leave her? Thanks loads for your support, this as been a traumatic time

Honestly, 3 out of 6 for shipped eggs is very good. You're lucky to get 50% to hatch with shipped and you did!! I've gotten a few "cement" babies myself. You can bathe them with baby shampoo or dawn soap, just make sure not to get it in their face or nostrils. If it was a rough hatch then I find it stresses them out to get the bath right away. I wait a couple days and eventually it starts fluffing on it own. You did a great job!