Ducks are drying in egg. Advice?

[Alphagamchick]

I have some ducks that are trying to hatch. So far it has been over 24 hours and both have a hole in their egg about one inch in diameter. It appears they are starting to dry out. Looks like the humidity is about 65-%-70%. I don't want them to dry out too much and not be able to hatch. Should I add more water, a spong, mist? Advice?

The ducklings and I thank you!

 

[Cattitude]

Hmm. Some folks would start chipping away pieces of shell at this point, perhaps in a zip pattern, in case the shells are too hard for the little ducklings to break. It always seems to be a 50/50 chance when you have to help. Perhaps wrap the eggs loosely in a damp washcloth or damp paper towel, making sure the little beaks aren't covered.

*crosses fingers*

 

[Alphagamchick]

Well, I have stepped in more than a few times with struggling chicks with mixed results. Have eded up with both perfect chicks and special needs chicks! And because I don't have the heart to send them to chickie heaven by my hands, I doctor them as best I can. It is hard on them and me! I have been hesitating to help the ducklings. Perhaps I will leave them 'till morning and then chip a bit more of the shell for them.

 

[dusterbd]

when I had my homemade incubator and of course it wasn't perfect I had to assist many of my chicks hatch. I would start with peeling the the drying membrane back some because I left one alone by advice from reading on here and it dried so bad to the chick I couldn't get it off. I would peel some back til it started showing alittle blood then put it back for another 15 minuted in the bator and continue til its out. Hope it goes well...

 

[perolane]

Your humidity levels need to be higher for ducks. I don't remember exactly what they are...seems like it was maybe 85%. Search here or Google it.
Good luck!

 

[Kedreeva]

Up your humidity to 85-90% and leave them be. None of my ducks took less than 48 hours from pip to zip, and I heard a lot of the same from others when I asked the first time. This seems to be pretty good advice, as the ones I've seen that pipped and died wouldn't have made it anyway- they may have pipped but there was a largely unabsorbed yolk and if I'd helped it would have been a disaster. I'm pretty sure they take longer because they are spending more time absorbing yolk.

If you can actually SEE the membrane is dry, you can wet the membrane with a q-tip and warm water, and leave wet paper towels inside the bator when you close it. If you leave a corner outside of the bator, wetting that will wet the entire paper towel eventually, so you won't need to open it again.

If you decide to help them, only create the zip line in the shell- leave the membrane intact and wet it thoroughly, then leave them to get themselves out of it. Helping them is quite a bit less harmful if they still have some work to do to hatch.

 

[perolane]

Found it>>>

ducks...28 days to hatch
day 1 to 25....99.5 degrees & 85% humidity (stop turning 25th day)
day 26 to 28...98.5 degrees & 95% humidity

 

[Alphagamchick]

Thanks for the great replies. I acquired these eggs during the last few days of hatch time from someone else who was unable to continue the hatch. Thought I would give it a shot and hope for the best. One of the ducklings died in the egg over night. I thought that if she lived through the night I would help her this morn but I was too late and now I feel bad that I didn't step in sooner. One did hatch though and one more is working on it. I think I will peel a bit of shell and put some paper towels in.
Like I said, I have stepped in a few times with chicks but with mixed results. I helped one chick last week who is now wearing little boots and getting PolyViSol because her feet are bent. Maybe she would not have hatched if I didn't help. Then again, I helped a cute frizzle out last year who had funky feet for a few days. They straightened out on their own and she is darling. Glad I did step in that time.