Feeling nervous - duck eggs

[Mylied]

I have some duck eggs in the incubator. So far, I've only successfully hatched one duckling before. They've died in the process usually near the end or after internally pipping. Sometimes they've made it to external pipping. I've tried to correct my incubating errors. Now I have two with internal pips, one since yesterday afternoon. (I had a chick hatch in the incubator and had rescued started duck eggs from my hen, so didn't have dates). It still hasn't externally pipped. I really don't want to loose more. Tell me to sit on my hands and they'll be fine. Humidity is up good. Should I lower the temp a degree? I've read that helps with ducks.

*It was actually around 9pm last night the chick hatched and I saw the internal pip. I double checked.

 

[Lisa1121]

Just had a hatch in my in my incubator. I have not hatched duck eggs for years. I was anxious and tried to assist one I thought was in trouble and I made more problems for it and myself by assisting. From external pip to hatching was at least 24 hours and sometimes longer for mine. I have a not very expensive styrofoam incubator and no way to test for humidity, I could only test for temperature. I kept the temperature at between 98 and 99.5. I had 13 eggs, 10 have hatched. The hatching took place over 3 plus days for the different eggs.
As to the one I hurt when I got impatient and thought it was in trouble so I tried to help, she has made it. I sat up doctoring her off and on all night, holding her wrapped in a damp towel and a dry towel around that, with her still partially in her egg (I pushed her bottom half back in) as she had not fully absorbed her yoke). My husband found me in the morning half asleep and holding her. I kept her in the shell this way until I thought her yoke was absorbed and then laid her gently down to see if she wanted to finish hatching herself. I really believe, at this point, that to struggle makes them stronger. She was the only one I tried to help. The rest I didn't assist and they hatched in their own time. I am not say to never help, I am just saying fromy minimal experience 24 hours or a little long from external pip seems fine. I didn't go by internal pip because I still when candling have a hard time knowing if what I am seeing is an internal pip. I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Cyprus]

If it will calm your nerves you can put a safety hole in. I would, it won't harm it.

 

[web18designer]

I have some duck eggs in the incubator. So far, I've only successfully hatched one duckling before. They've died in the process usually near the end or after internally pipping. Sometimes they've made it to external pipping. I've tried to correct my incubating errors. Now I have two with internal pips, one since yesterday afternoon. (I had a chick hatch in the incubator and had rescued started duck eggs from my hen, so didn't have dates). It still hasn't externally pipped. I really don't want to loose more. Tell me to sit on my hands and they'll be fine. Humidity is up good. Should I lower the temp a degree? I've read that helps with ducks.

*It was actually around 9pm last night the chick hatched and I saw the internal pip. I double checked.

I wouldn't do anything more than just wait for them to hatch by themselves. The incubation period is x amount of days, if during this time something went wrong and the conditions were not optimal (ie: fluctuation temperatures, etc) then you wont have a great hatch regardless what you do on your last day. What I'm trying to say is that for the most part what is done is done now. If the incubation period was good they will hatch by themselves without help.

If you help them pipping or make holes for the air, probably it would do more harm then good and if they are not strong wont survive anyways.

So my advise is to be patient, let nature do its course and learn for the next hatch.

 

[Islandmom511]

We’re in the same boat. I’ve got duck eggs and am trying to sit on my hands. One has externally pipped as of this morning (day 29). It’s so hard to be patient!

 

[Mylied]

One's out. A few more to go.

 

[Mylied]

Congrats!!! She’s adorable!!!! Did you have to assist the hatch? How long from first external pip to hatch?

This one took about 24 hrs from external pip to hatch. I helped just a little. The first one I posted about still has veins and it's been like 3 days from when I noticed the internal pip. It never externally pipped. I pipped it for it yesterday and it's not positioned good. But I'm determined these ones will live dang it. Yeah, I'm terrible at hands off.

 

[Islandmom511]

That’s pretty quick! I’m the same. I’m trying another batch again determined to increase my hatch rate! Hoping and praying this one hatched quickly as were on vacation and driving with an incubator in the truck was less than ideal.

 

[Mylied]

Duckling 2 (the first one I talked about) is out and looks healthy. I was running out the door, so no pic yet. Three more to go.

 

[Lisa1121]

Super cute? What's the pink stuff?

Watermelon . It is hot here and they loved it. The other stuff was chicken mash.