Eggs cracked on the wrong end?

QueenDuck

In the Brooder
7 Years
Apr 30, 2012
79
0
39
Yay! My duck eggs have finally cracked the shell after a long 27 days. One is doing fine and has cracked on the larger end (where the air sac is) but the other have crack a bit of shell off that is now laying in the bottom of the incubator BUT it's is on the smaller end of the egg (the part with NO air sac) I can see a small bit of yellow poking through the shell. The understanding of the process I had was that the duckling pierced the air sac and then when all of the air out of there was gone, they pocked through the shell and breathed the air outside the shell. Any ideas on what is happening? Also, does any one know how long they are ment to take to hatch after the first crack?
Thanks!!
 
Congrats on your eggs having external pips. For the one that is pipping on the wrong end of egg, there is a good chance that you will have to help it out as it is malpositioned. If it was able to break the shell, it is a strong duckling and should be able to breathe ok. I'd wait for the other egg to hatch before opening bator to help the other (if needed).

Pics are always helpful if you need advice on how to help. Best of luck!
 
Ok!
Thanks for all your help! I'll see how it goes for 1 more day. I've lost my camera at the moment but if i find it I will take some pictures. It's So strange, I feel like I love them already without seeing them! I can't even imagine what they must be going through inside the egg. Trying so hard to break free out of the shell. Can't wait until they hatch!
:)
 
i agree with waiting for the other one to hatch. and if you need to help the other one some tweezers and slowly remove bits of the shell. hatching at the wrong end is actually common and sometimes they need help but other times there just fine alone :D
 
Well Over night the egg the right way round hasn't improved. BUT the one the wrong way round now has a bigger hole! We are tLking to each other too! I will cheep through the plastic and the 'egg' will cheep Back. It looks a bit like he has got his beak stuck between the the hole where he has been pecking away. It's probably nothing but this is my first time and so many things 'look' like their going wrong. Today is day 28 but I don't think anyone will hatch. I added another day so it said 2 days to go! Was this the right thing to do? I haven't seen the egg wobble lately or hear any pecking sounds or seen anything like a small beak poke through (well try and poke through. There seems tone s brownish sack? Surrounding him or a floppy layer of the egg.) how long should I leave it until I help them? And what one would you suggest helping first? The one that has made a little bit of progress over night but then nothing has happened only hearing cheeps? Or would you help the one who has not broke through their shell yet just small cracks that are surrounded by small circles? And what day would you help him? You see, I'm getting a pony at the weekend so we have to go and sort out the paddock tonight and then we will come back but then go back over on Saturday to play and settle her in. With the incubator I have the water tank thing that does the humidity is inside so you have to take the lid off to fi,l it up and it's quite low. Should open it and fill up of leave it and risk there being all the water gone soon?
Thanks!
 
I often have a duckling pip the wrong end of the egg generally they take 24 - 48 hours longer to hatch than ducklings that pip the right way. The main reason for this is because of the more limited space the duckling has. It cannot move much - and therefore does not absorb the yolk and blood from in the veins as quickly.

Leaving them alone as long as possible is what I do to give them the best chance. If today is day 28- then it is extremely likely that if you start to peel away the shell and membrane- you you cause it to bleed. As you can imagine- ducklings dont have a lot of blood- so any bleeding at all can be very dangerous for them . You shouldnt be afraid of helping a duckling- but knowing the right time is important as many people do jump in way too early and end up having very weak ducklings because of it. Ducklings that hatch normally- are usually bumping their way around the incubator immediately- but tehrs that are helped are often seen in photos sleeping curled upin half the egg for 24- 48 hours after the assistance...and dont start to perk up until the time they would have actually been ready to hatch.

If you are going to be away- then making sure there will be enough humidity is very important. If you need to open it to add water make sure you spray the eggs and all around them with a misting of warm water as well- this will help to bring the humidity up to the correct level more quickly.
 

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