Ducklings not pipping externally (Please Help!! This is my first time incubating eggs)

[MGG]

It's 11:30 pm here and they are on day 26.It will be day 27 at midnight.

Ok. You need to wait then. Don't touch or intervene until day 28 or unless one is in real trouble that has been confirmed here. Day 26 is too early for them to hatch yet. What has your temp been throughout incubation, and has it been confirmed accurate with at least one calibrated thermometer? What kind of incubator? Also, do you see yawning motions? That means they are still absorbing lots of yolk and nowhere near ready. Don't rush them.

 

[MGG]

I'll check back in in the morning. Good Night everyone.

 

[Steph21]

Ok. You need to wait then. Don't touch or intervene until day 28 or unless one is in real trouble that has been confirmed here. Day 26 is too early for them to hatch yet. What has your temp been throughout incubation, and has it been confirmed accurate with at least one calibrated thermometer? What kind of incubator? Also, do you see yawning motions? That means they are still absorbing lots of yolk and know where near ready. Don't rush them.

My incubator is a Janoel 12. I've been trying to keep the temp at 99.5 F throughout incubation. I have kept 4 hygrometers that I tested against our house thermostat and they were all accurate, however, all 4 give me different reading when I put them in the incubator. I have not noticed any yawning motions. The last time I checked them was earlier today when I made the holes. All of them just seemed to be tapping against the egg and I made the holes where they were tapping.

 

[Steph21]

My incubator is a Janoel 12. I've been trying to keep the temp at 99.5 F throughout incubation. I have kept 4 hygrometers that I tested against our house thermostat and they were all accurate, however, all 4 give me different reading when I put them in the incubator. I have not noticed any yawning motions. The last time I checked them was earlier today when I made the holes. All of them just seemed to be tapping against the egg and I made the holes where they were tapping.

Also, there is one place I can put a hygrometer that the reading is always 2 degrees less than the temp where the eggs are. I use this one to adjust the temp so I feel pretty sure that they've been at a consistent temp. All show a similar humidity reading.

 

[MGG]

My incubator is a Janoel 12. I've been trying to keep the temp at 99.5 F throughout incubation. I have kept 4 hygrometers that I tested against our house thermostat and they were all accurate, however, all 4 give me different reading when I put them in the incubator. I have not noticed any yawning motions. The last time I checked them was earlier today when I made the holes. All of them just seemed to be tapping against the egg and I made the holes where they were tapping.

Ok. Did you salt test them though? You might want to try that and then see if they'll give closer readings. Can you post a pic of the eggs? If you have to open the incubator to get the pics, it's fine. Just try to hurry. I just want to see how the air hole looks. If you can see their beaks you'll probably notice yawning.

 

[Steph21]

Ok. Did you salt test them though? You might want to try that and then see if they'll give closer readings. Can you post a pic of the eggs? If you have to open the incubator to get the pics, it's fine. Just try to hurry. I just want to see how the air hole looks. If you can see their beaks you'll probably notice yawning.

I haven't done a salt test. I didn't see any yawning but as soon as a opened the incubator I heard very loud tapping and chirping coming from all of them.

 

[MGG]

I haven't done a salt test. I didn't see any yawning but as soon as a opened the incubator I heard very loud tapping and chirping coming from all of them.

Oh, you have 6 of them? They look good. Some of the holes look a bit dry, you should try to up the humidity to 70-75%. You can fill a mist bottle with warm water and mist them with that. Preferably filtered water, tap water has a high sodium content and can corrode your incubator's heating elements. Once your hatch is done you might want to salt test them.
That's good that they're all talking. Try to leave the incubator closed now so the humidity can build up.

 

[Steph21]

Oh, you have 6 of them? They look good. Some of the holes look a bit dry, you should try to up the humidity to 70-75%. You can fill a mist bottle with warm water and mist them with that. Preferably filtered water, tap water has a high sodium content and can corrode your incubator's heating elements. Once your hatch is done you might want to salt test them.
That's good that they're all talking. Try to leave the incubator closed now so the humidity can build up.

Big Update!: One of them just completely hatched! Another one is getting close and the others are wiggling around a little. However, when it hatched the humidity spiked and is staying at 99%. Also, the duckling is moving around A LOT. Should I do something about the humidity or is it ok? Also, will the other eggs be ok with the duckling moving them around?

Also, what should I do if the ducklings aren't dry when they need to be taken out of the incubator? I don't have another incubator to put them in for drying.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Congrats Steph ! It is ok that the baby knocks them around and the humidity is ok. It will encourage the rest to come.

 

[MGG]

Big Update!: One of them just completely hatched! Another one is getting close and the others are wiggling around a little. However, when it hatched the humidity spiked and is staying at 99%. Also, the duckling is moving around A LOT. Should I do something about the humidity or is it ok? Also, will the other eggs be ok with the duckling moving them around?

Also, what should I do if the ducklings aren't dry when they need to be taken out of the incubator? I don't have another incubator to put them in for drying.

Yay! Congrats! Open the lid quick and take out his shell. That's why the humidity is so high. It'll go down after that. Yup, he's fine to knock them around. Is your brooder heated up? I wait 3 or 4 hours after one hatches and then move him to the brooder to finish drying.