External pip over 12 hours ago

[Emmab26]

Hello all I’m new here and this is my first batch of duck eggs that I’m hatching. 13 to be exact. I wasn’t actually expecting all 13 to be fertile but hey, lots of fluff butts to love . So one of the duck eggs have externally popped, about a thumb nail size but has not broken the membrane yet. The shell on the thumbnail size part of the egg has come away, so they membrane is exposed a tad. I’m spraying it with water but I just came to understand that water will dry it out more? I know duck eggs take foooooorever to hatch and it’s really testing my paitients, but at what point should I break the membrane to help him/her get a head start. I’m not interested in fully helping at this stage as I know it can take up to 2 days for it to actually hatch. I guess I’m just worried that there has been no significant progress in over 12 hours. I hear him tapping and chirping a little so he’s happy and so far healthy. Would it be a bad idea to put a tiny hole in the mambrane to give him a better air supply?

 

[Pyxis]

It looks like it didn't quite get through the external membrane when it pipped. So there is still air flow and it's okay, but if you want you can break the membrane. But, don't do anything else yet. Ducks are very slow hatchers and chances are good it has at least twelve more hours to go before it starts to zip.

 

[Emmab26]

It looks like it didn't quite get through the external membrane when it pipped. So there is still air flow and it's okay, but if you want you can break the membrane. But, don't do anything else yet. Ducks are very slow hatchers and chances are good it has at least twelve more hours to go before it starts to zip.

Well it’s been a full 24 hours, we broke the membrane a little last night just because I didn’t feel comfortable not giving him a “safe” hole he could breath from. He is still tapping in the same place he was before I went to bed last night. It looks like 3 more have externally pipped but again have done the exact same thing this little one did and didn’t break the membrane when internally pipping.

 

[Emmab26]

Well it’s been a full 24 hours, we broke the membrane a little last night just because I didn’t feel comfortable not giving him a “safe” hole he could breath from. He is still tapping in the same place he was before I went to bed last night. It looks like 3 more have externally pipped but again have done the exact same thing this little one did and didn’t break the membrane when internally pipping.

ETA: I also opened one up last night that I thought had died, it wasn’t moving and there was a long crack at the top of the egg (small part) I thought it was going to explode because it was dead. turns out it’s very much alive and pipping the wrong end. So now I have an egg with quite a big hole in the bottom and the membrane that’s wrapped around it is exposed. I have covered with a wet paper towels I’m not sure if I should open up the top a little so it can get some air. It survived the night which I’m very thankful for because I feel horrible that I made the mistake in thinking it was dead. I also have 2 other eggs that are trying to hatch the wrong way too. What do I do with these ones? Just leave them?

 

[Morrigan]

Eggs pipped at the wrong end can hatch with no problems. But, it usually takes a lot longer. When a chick or duckling first pips into the internal air sac, they usually rest for up to 24 hours as they get comfortable breathing. They they externally pip, and can rest for up to 24 more hours as they finish absorbing the yolk.

When a chick pips at the wrong end, they by-pass the internal pip step. Their first breaths are directly to the outside air. But, they still need the same amount of time to rest and absorb the yolk, so it can take up to 48 hours.

Here is an excellent BYC article about the hatching process and when and how to assist:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

 

[Pyxis]

ETA: I also opened one up last night that I thought had died, it wasn’t moving and there was a long crack at the top of the egg (small part) I thought it was going to explode because it was dead. turns out it’s very much alive and pipping the wrong end. So now I have an egg with quite a big hole in the bottom and the membrane that’s wrapped around it is exposed. I have covered with a wet paper towels I’m not sure if I should open up the top a little so it can get some air. It survived the night which I’m very thankful for because I feel horrible that I made the mistake in thinking it was dead. I also have 2 other eggs that are trying to hatch the wrong way too. What do I do with these ones? Just leave them?

Remove the wet paper towels - they will actually chill the duckling in the egg. A wrong end pipper can hatch on its own, they just take a lot more time from pip to zip than one that pips normally does.

Here is an article on how to assist during a hatch, which you may find easier to read than the one linked before because that one has some bad formatting issues:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

This one also has information specifically for ducks unlike the other one.

 

[Morrigan]

Remove the wet paper towels - they will actually chill the duckling in the egg. A wrong end pipper can hatch on its own, they just take a lot more time from pip to zip than one that pips normally does.

Here is an article on how to assist during a hatch, which you may find easier to read than the one linked before because that one has some bad formatting issues:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

This one also has information specifically for ducks unlike the other one.

Good catch on the duck specific section. That's a really good article and does a great job walking you through how to give assistance.

I also think the first article is a must read as well (annoying formatting and all) as it does a great job explaining the hatching process and making clear the pitfalls of assisting too soon.

 

[Pyxis]

Good catch on the duck specific section. That's a really good article and does a great job walking you through how to give assistance.

I also think the first article is a must read as well (annoying formatting and all) as it does a great job explaining the hatching process and making clear the pitfalls of assisting too soon.

Thanks!

I usually steer clear of the first one because I have actually had new assisters tell me that it confused them more than helped them

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks!

I usually steer clear of the first one because I have actually had new assisters tell me that it confused them more than helped them

I found it helpful in that it helped me keep my hands off the eggs when they didn't need assisting. I think I have "do not rush the hatch" burned into my brain, lol.

 

[Morrigan]

@Emmab26 -- How is everything going? I hope your little duckling made it and the other 2 wrong-way pippers are doing OK.