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

[Nekremer]

Easily*

 

[DuckyMama4]

We have our second external pip!

 

[DuckyMama4]

Good to hear, Nekremer! It’s a little over 24 hours sense external pip… I can still hear peeping and see slight movement so I assume little one is ok. Just staring intensely. Lol!

 

[DuckyMama4]

Coming up on the 30 hour mark sense I first noticed the external pip… it could have been longer but I did not look at underside of egg before going to bed that night. Duckling has made no progress at all. Still peeping ever so lightly now and then. Membrane is definitely dry. I can see a tiny part of inner membrane and it also looks very dry, dark brown in color. It looks like beef jerky. At times the egg appears to be vibrating very quickly for 5-10 seconds and then stops. Humidity is currently at 75%. Have not opened the incubator sense this morning to re-wet sponges (humidity was down to 67).

Also, can anyone explain what “chewing” looks like? I’ve been seeing it mentioned a lot but it’s never explained what it would look like. I’m gathering an opening and closing of the bill… but quick? Slow? Constant or with breaks?

 

[Nekremer]

Coming up on the 30 hour mark sense I first noticed the external pip… it could have been longer but I did not look at underside of egg before going to bed that night. Duckling has made no progress at all. Still peeping ever so lightly now and then. Membrane is definitely dry. I can see a tiny part of inner membrane and it also looks very dry, dark brown in color. It looks like beef jerky. At times the egg appears to be vibrating very quickly for 5-10 seconds and then stops. Humidity is currently at 75%. Have not opened the incubator sense this morning to re-wet sponges (humidity was down to 67).

Also, can anyone explain what “chewing” looks like? I’ve been seeing it mentioned a lot but it’s never explained what it would look like. I’m gathering an opening and closing of the bill… but quick? Slow? Constant or with breaks?

So I can not answer your questions as I am new to this as well, and I have only hatched chicks. I am sorry. I do hope someone is able to help you. And I hope it hatches ok

 

[Nekremer]

Coming up on the 30 hour mark sense I first noticed the external pip… it could have been longer but I did not look at underside of egg before going to bed that night. Duckling has made no progress at all. Still peeping ever so lightly now and then. Membrane is definitely dry. I can see a tiny part of inner membrane and it also looks very dry, dark brown in color. It looks like beef jerky. At times the egg appears to be vibrating very quickly for 5-10 seconds and then stops. Humidity is currently at 75%. Have not opened the incubator sense this morning to re-wet sponges (humidity was down to 67).

Also, can anyone explain what “chewing” looks like? I’ve been seeing it mentioned a lot but it’s never explained what it would look like. I’m gathering an opening and closing of the bill… but quick? Slow? Constant or with breaks?

Also unsure if it’s the same with ducks, but with chicks in lockdown you shouldn’t open the incubator to avoid shrink wrapping the chick.

 

[quackingdom]

Coming up on the 30 hour mark sense I first noticed the external pip… it could have been longer but I did not look at underside of egg before going to bed that night. Duckling has made no progress at all. Still peeping ever so lightly now and then. Membrane is definitely dry. I can see a tiny part of inner membrane and it also looks very dry, dark brown in color. It looks like beef jerky. At times the egg appears to be vibrating very quickly for 5-10 seconds and then stops. Humidity is currently at 75%. Have not opened the incubator sense this morning to re-wet sponges (humidity was down to 67).

Also, can anyone explain what “chewing” looks like? I’ve been seeing it mentioned a lot but it’s never explained what it would look like. I’m gathering an opening and closing of the bill… but quick? Slow? Constant or with breaks?

No progress is normal. Next time you wet the sponges, you could try wetting the membrane as well with coconut oil or water on a Q-tip. I'd recommend misting the incubator and eggs (just don't get water in any pip holes in case it gets into the duckling's nostrils) with a spray bottle too.

The chewing motions are a bit hard to describe...or maybe I'm just struggling to conjure up a mental image at the moment. Yes, it's an opening and closing of the bill, fairly rapidly, I think, and it's something they do periodically, maybe every few minutes?

 

[quackingdom]

Also unsure if it’s the same with ducks, but with chicks in lockdown you shouldn’t open the incubator to avoid shrink wrapping the chick.

It's the same with ducks. But there are a lot of hatchers (myself included) who do open the incubator during lockdown. You just have to be careful that the humidity doesn't drop. Misting the eggs/incubator helps prevent the humidity from falling. Some people will open the incubator in a humid shower/bathroom.

 

[DuckyMama4]

Haha! Oh boy! One little one just tried to give me a heart attack! I was trying to just barley open the lid to wet the sponge with a dropper. As the lid is tipping back slightly I hear egg cracking! “Oh no! What did I do?!” In a total panic, heart trying to jump from my chest, I look down to see that another little one decided to make its external pip at that exact moment!

I flipped the underside pipper over so I could get a better look. I can just make out the top of the bill. It does look to be moving very quickly, appearing as if it’s vibrating. I cannot tell if it is opening and closing it but I am going to assume that it is and that this little one is still absorbing.

 

[DuckyMama4]

Also unsure if it’s the same with ducks, but with chicks in lockdown you shouldn’t open the incubator to avoid shrink wrapping the chick.

I’ve been really struggling to keep the humidity up, even with both wells full on the incubator, so I have had no choice but to open it quickly to re-wet the sponges.

We had ordered this incubator with intentions of setting 6 eggs from our ducks. We homeschool so researching and getting everything we needed was the plan. Nature had other plans though as two of our girls went broody days after ordering the incubator. They were “sharing” one big nest, which turned to two and then to three. One ended up being ignored for an entire day and upon candling we seen there were beautifully developing embryos with tiny little heartbeats so into the incubator they went. I’ve been reading as much and as quickly as I can but there is SO much info and so little time! Lol.