Egg Emergency! *update* all died :(

[obsidianembrace]

So are you saying you think they'll come soon or otherwise not at all, katharina? I'm not sure how much longer I can handle this

And the incubator is being bad today. It won't stay stable.

 

[Sweetfolly]

I just went back and looked at all the pictures of your eggs, obsidianembrace. That's exactly what's been happening to mine this year. Out of curiosity, is the outside temperature really hot during the day where you are right now? And dry?

 

[katharinad]

The humidity is really important when they are piping, so if it is a little bit off prior no big deal. Keep the temps between 90-99 and you should be fine. Just remember in nature it is fluctuating too. It's hard to tell when, if you don't know the exact date they were layed or incubation started. What you have described sounds normal, but it still can cover a whole week.

 

[obsidianembrace]

Yes, the week before we brought them in temps were in the 100s. The sun wasn't on the duck house and the eggs were in a dog house inside the duck house in the shade. When I would go in there it seemed a lot cooler though...And Utah is always dry

Do you think that maybe has something to do with it?

 

[FenDruadin]

How many days have they been incubating? If you can't tell anything for sure by candling, then I would wait until three or four days past their "due" date, and then carefully crack open the air cell end of one to look inside. There's no point in torturing yourself indefinitely, and if it *is* alive, popping a hole in the air cell end probably won't compromise it too much (I've accidentally dented them in various stages of incubation and never had a problem with them hatching).

Sorry for all your stress--they do know how to drive us crazy, huh?

 

[obsidianembrace]

They've been incubating since...five days ago I think. They're 'due date' was 7/28-31 but what I calculated. I counted it from when she started sitting on them all the time.

iamcuriositycat: what would we be looking for if we poked a hole in the air bubble? all the eggs we opened have ducklings in them. Would we be able to tell if it's alive? At what point would we help them hatch, if ever?

 

[FenDruadin]

Okay, based on your estimates, I would wait until Tuesday to poke holes. If you do it, you'll be looking for movement under the membrane, and/or a little nose (bill) sticking into the air cell. You can see this by candling if you have experience, but when you're not sure based on candling, then poking a hole may be your next step. Anyway, when you poke a hole and shine a light in, it will be very obvious if the duckling is alive. If it is, it will at least be breathing, and you can see that (unless it hasn't pipped internally, in which case you'll see it moving against the membrane).

If it's alive, whether you help or not will depend a lot on the circumstances. If it looks like it's trying to poke through the membrane but the membrane (I'm talking about the part that is covering the duck, not the part that is attached to the shell of the air cell) looks white and dried-out, the duckling may be stuck, and you can help by tearing the membrane a bit... but I think when/if you reach that stage, you'll want to come back for more specific advice... because there are just so many variables.

Good luck--sorry it's so stressful--wish I could at least loan you a reliable incubator so you wouldn't have to be up all night monitoring.

 

[obsidianembrace]

I was whistling at the eggs to wake them up and I heard one of them tap back at me!!! I'm so excited

I praying so bad that he lives and will hatch! (And that I wasn't just hallucinating)

No movement from the other eggs, that I could hear.

Okay if, by tuesday there's no pipping, we'll poke a hole and look. I wish you could lend me a real incubator too. I honestly would just buy one, but I have no money. I think in the future, when I move out, I'll order eggs from places and hatch them in an incubator. That seems like a better way

*watches egg intently although it's doing nothing*

 

[FenDruadin]

Oh, that is exciting!!!! It is true that they listen for cheeping and will work faster on coming out when they hear it, so talk to your babies!!

Now that it looks like they're at least some of them alive, try to leave them alone as much as possible.

Good luck!!

 

[katharinad]

I would like to add that helping a duck out of its egg carries risks. It should be avoided, if possible. I know it is tempting trying to get them out faster, since nature is soooooo slow. Sit tight. They are close when you hear tapping or chirping sounds.