ducklings can't get out of egg

[willy3486]

Background on this. I had a duck that was Brooding with quite a few eggs. After a while a second duck joined her. they probably had about 25 eggs between them. A week or so about 5 hatched and the main hen left the nest, the second one did as well. Since the eggs seemed to be still warm I took them in and put in my incubator I had warming up in case this happened. Over the weekend one tried to hatch but could not. I was afraid it would die after about a day and chipped away the egg until I got it out. I was afraid it wouldn't live but forced it to eat. After about a day its doing great, running around and spunky.

On to my question, after a day a couple of more ducklings forced a hole in the eggs but could not get out. I let them stay a while like I did the other but then started to chip away as I saw they were not able to get out. This morning still no chicks out so I chipped away and got them out. One was just too weak and did not make it. I think because it had been in too long. The other seemed to be somewhat active but weak like the first one was that is doing good now. I just got a message from my wife that the one I got out of the egg is doing fine. I am not sure what is the issue. I have the incubator set at the temperature it should be in a room that is fairly stable as far as temperature. The humidity seems a little low at 55% and it is suppose to be around 65% if I remember.

I am wondering if when I see them start trying to get out if they can't get out within a few hours should I just get them out. I feel confortable in chipping away the shell to help them, I got them out with no issues . I have done this with three of these this time and with chickens in the past. I think the one died due to being in the egg so long , in times past I have had luck getting chicks out if they need help. But I am afraid if I just let them stay in until they can get out it will kill them. The incubator is one I got from tractor supply that is a foam type box about 16x16 inches. It seems to do good.

My questions are these, what could be causing this, too much humidity,temp,etc? The shell itself seems hard and not soft but you have to force it pretty good up to get a piece off. I use a clean jewelers screwdriver type and pluck up. I did notice the white sac like lining was really hard to tear and almost like rubber. I left the one in the egg that didn't make it a day or longer probably. The one that is doing well I had out within a day or less and this one I got out this morning doing good was probably less than a day. It seems like if I let it do everything on its own if it had trouble it dies. If it has trouble and I get it out in less than 24 hours it makes it. What should the maximum time I should let it go?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Did you look at the one that died to see if it was malpositioned in the egg? Was there any bleeding? Can you post a picture of this happens again?

 

[willy3486]

From the best I could tell it was positioned like the others. As far as bleeding there was some, it seemed like it was from the veins in the lining of the shell. More blood than I would have liked. I will take a picture next time. It just seemed like it was too tired and exhausted to try to make it. It may have been trying to get out for more than a day. One problem we are having the eggs are probably a week or more different in incubation time.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

If there was blood, it wasnt ready to come out. After pipping ducks can take up to 72 hours to hatch, they rest inbetween. You should make sure they have a small airhole,either they made themselves or you made for them. Then wait and wait some more. They are not like chickens. I think you maybe prematurely hatching these. If you are really worried and After at least 24 hours you could make the hole just large enough to see the bill. If it is making chewing or yawning motions stop, it's still absorbing yolk.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Also when you get your next external pip come back and I can help walk you through. @isaac o

 

[willy3486]

Will do. These are the first ones I have hatched using a incubator. The other duckings were hatched by the mother. I didn't expect to get any more from this batch so any I get is a bonus. But I would like as many as could to hatch. I will only make the pip bigger after 24 hours or more and not get them out for 72 or more.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

They will start to zip when ready to come out. If they haven't started to zip in 36 hours we should talk. I I had two identical siblings one went pip to hatch in 6 hours, the other took 56.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Sorry to nickel and dime you but here is a picture of a safety hole I currently have in an egg. Have you candled? Do you see movement? Sometimes if the air cells are too small, we need to make a safety hole befo r pipping. If you have candeling pictures we will be glad to look.

 

[willy3486]

I don't have pictures yet. I am not at home. The eggs had a dimple in it where it had tried to make a hole. After between 12 and 24 hours both looked the same. Last night I peeled some of the eggs back to help them. This morning after checking more one passed while I was checking and the other was ok. I got an email from my wife and the one that was alive this morning was still ok and she took it to the brooder with the other duckling. The last time she checked it seemed to be perking up. We also have another that has made a hole in it. I will just watch it. Maybe the other one just had a issue.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Sounds goo d. I'm here if you need help and several others are around as well.