Egg incubating fiasco - advice please! *New Pictures!*

[AdamD77]

Ooh okay, that gives me hope then

It's so hard to not watch them isn't it! I actually fell asleep watching them earlier

Thanks

Okay. At the moment the temp. says 29^C. That is by the side of the eggs so not directly in the heat. Before when I've had it directly under it has been around 39^C, which should mean that a bit further down where the eggs are it may be a degree or so less. I have been using hot water rung out a bit but not too much

Okay, I'll have a chat with them later

They are staggered: the first was laid on the 13th June, the next on the 14th and the other two on the 16th and 17th. So if you count the 13th as Day 1, it's due tomorrow (10th July)!

 

[Ducker123]

yes VERY hard i watched mine for a whole day, then went to sleep for an hour at 8 ish woke up at 9 and it was out the egg and i missed the lot haha

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Could you wet the towels using a straw and a funnel? Attach the straw to the funnel and pour hot water onto the towels, that way you wouldn't have to open the top so far and lose your heat.

 

[GrannyCarol]

Another thing... when they start to peep and to pip, leave them alone. Do not help them to hatch. They will peep and pip as much as a day before anything happens.

What happens in their hatching sequence is that they break through into the air cell to breathe (and start to peep), then they have to move around inside the shell and absorb all the blood vessels that have been attached to the inside of the shell (for taking in air and water) and start to cut a hole to the outside to continue to breathe. If you help them too much or at the wrong time, you will kill them.

I've gotten to the point where I will help a duckling in the incubator if it has pipped a good sized hole and its been a long time and I see (through the windows) that the membrane is too dry and gotten leathery. I will use hemostats to rip another 1/4" in the membrane, dampen them slightly and put them back for another couple of hours. I will help one that has the tip end of it's bill stuck out a small hole - lost one that way that couldn't get the bill back in to finish cutting, it was ok for half a day, but I wish I'd opened that hole a little bit so it could have gotten on with its business. Mostly ducklings that need help are weak and don't do well in the long run.

If I have to open the incubator to deal with a duckling, I will mist with warm water before I close it. In your circumstance, the less you can do while keeping temps and humidity right, the better.

If any hatch, they can stay with the others until the hatch is done (even a couple of days before they need food or water). I usually pull mine after about 24 hours and put them in a brooder - I start them in a large plastic box with a light bulb over them (much like your incubator is now, but without the extra towels, etc). I give them water and unmedicated chick starter and some chopped up greens from the garden.

Good luck!

 

[AdamD77]

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Oh no! How annoying! I'd hate that

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Hmm, it's a good idea but we don't have a funnel unfortunately! If the towels are wet still, should I apply more hot water to them or take them out and re-wet them completely? They are probably not hot anymore as they are not in direct heat, though I can still see some condensation on the sides of the tub...

GrannyCarol, thanks for all that wonderful information!

For now I'm worried about getting them through to hatch day!

Then next I'll worry about if they'll hatch okay, then I'll worry about if they'll survive their first few days, then I'll worry generally about them forever!

But it's definitely worth it

 

[gofasterstripe]

You dont want to apply hot water, you need warm water. The hot water goes from hot to cool, whereas the warm water will keep it a more constant temp.

 

[1234duck]

Hot to cool can be a big spike for temp or humidity. Are you putting "super wet" towels or rags just laying them in there? Your not making a pool of water are you? I think your pretty much ringing out most of the water? if i opened it i think i would have warm water towels ready to exchange for the others that are inside.}}}just my opinion. ~Julie~

 

[AdamD77]

Ah, warm water! I've been using hot, rung out a bit, not sopping wet haha. I've just replaced everything for the night with warm water and well rung out and it seems quite nice and steamy with temperature at around 32^C next to the eggs and slightly higher up. Hopefully will see some movement tomorrow

 

[stargazingmommy]

what about spraying the wall of the bin under the lamp with some water. just a light misting

 

[AdamD77]

^ Okay I'll do that

It's so painful to not see anything yet!

I'm so impatient!