External pip on underside of air cell… do I flip?

[DuckyMama4]

I have not seen an internal pip yet in our eggs. This morning I had the shock of finding an external pip on the underside of the air cell… should I rotate it so the pip is up?

We have never hatched eggs before so I am quite inexperienced… we planned to research before putting eggs in but nature had other plans.

I’m also really questioning now if some of our other ducklings have internally pipped and I’m just not seeing it. Some of them have a lot more jagged looking air cell lines.

 

[quackingdom]

I don't think there's any need to rotate it. I've had a lot of eggs that pipped facing downwards.

Jagged air cell lines probably don't mean an internal pip, but sometimes it can be a bit hard to tell by candling, especially if you're new to it. Try holding the egg up to your ear and see if you hear a little clicking/tapping noise. That's always what I do to tell if they've internally pipped. Sometimes they'll peep as well, but not always.

 

[DuckyMama4]

Thank you! I’ve been watching and can see the pip hole moving every few minutes so I think little one is ok in the current position.

Two of our females started these eggs and I am unsure of dates so we did not “lock down”. I was waiting for an internal pip before doing so. Because of that, the humidity was only in the low 50s all night. I was finally able to get it up to 67 just a little bit ago so I am going to hold off on opening the bator. I can see movement in the air cell of all the eggs so I trying to tell myself that all is ok for now!

 

[quackingdom]

Sounds like they're doing good!

There are varying opinions on humidity, but personally, I'd raise it more. Ducklings need a ton of humidity. There's no such thing as too high humidity for hatching. Some think that high hatching humidity causes drowning, but that's not true--high INCUBATION humidity does.

Movement in the air cell does signify that they've internally pipped.

 

[DuckyMama4]

I opened it up real quick and added another chunk of sponge, waiting for humidity to stabilize. We did hear some peeping! I also listened to one of the other eggs and I did hear a faint clicking sound. I still cannot see any sign of a bill or triangle shape in any of the air cells.

 

[quackingdom]

Good! If you're hearing clicking or pipping, the duckling has internally pipped, even if you can't tell from candling.

 

[DuckyMama4]

This little one who has externally pipped is rocking around like crazy! Everything I’ve read says they usually rest after internal pip to absorb yolk. This baby has been rocking this egg for hours with very little rest. The bits of the shell fell off quite some time ago and the membrane is slightly yellow/tan and appears quite leathery looking. Baby has made no further progress… which I know can be normal. But is it normal with the constant crazy rocking and there to be no progress?

Nothing further on the other eggs. I can see what I assume is breathing on a few of them?! It’s more of the shadowing but it’s a constant up and down “shadow”.

 

[quackingdom]

I often see mine rocking around without seeming to make progress, so I think that's normal. Yes, they rest for hours upon hours after the external pip, usually more than 24 hours, often up to 48 hours, occasionally more.

 

[DuckyMama4]

Thank you for the help and reassurance!

I am finding it very difficult to keep the humidity up in this small, packed full (9 eggs), incubator. I had it holding pretty steady at 77 last night, woke up this morning to 67. I may send my husband for a larger incubator today and hope for the best.

Little pipper is the same this morning. I’m both very happy and disappointed with that! Lol! I don’t see any external pips on the other eggs but I can still see movement/shadowing in all of them. for some more progress today!

 

[Nekremer]

I had chics hatch out recently. One externally pipped at the bottom similar to yours and he was fine. He hatched quickly and rails once he started zipping.