Feeling nervous - duck eggs

[Mylied]

Here's the other duckling with a silkie and a showgirl that hatched. I have no clue where the coloring came from. As far as I knew I only had pekin and one khaki Campbell. Apparently someone is mixed. I don't mind, it's really cute.

On a side note, I had reason to worry. When I took these three out, I candled the last three duck eggs. Two had internally pipped and died. I opened then up and there was a lot of yellowish slime. Looks like too high humidity. Which is strange because the chicks had no problem hatching. I didn't even know they were about to. The final duck was internally pipped, so I opened some of the top to make sure it's beak was clear. Still alive this morning. I'll let it sit in the egg until it's ready.

 

[Lisa1121]

Very cute. All of mine are mixed.

 

[Mylied]

Here's the last duckling. It's a pekin. Had a rough start but seems to be doing good now.

 

[Lisa1121]

Here's the last duckling. It's a pekin. Had a rough start but seems to be doing good now.
View attachment 1489009

So very cute! All mine are running around like crazy now and eating lots. Pretty rewarding to get them through a rough start, isn't it?

 

[Mylied]

I heard peeping, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

 

[Mylied]

There's an external pip on another egg this morning. I did do a little hole on the first. Still doesn't appear to have external pip.

 

[Islandmom511]

One's out. A few more to go.
View attachment 1483973

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

 

[Mylied]

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! View attachment 1484460

Super cute? What's the pink stuff?

 

[Mylied]

So very cute! All mine are running around like crazy now and eating lots. Pretty rewarding to get them through a rough start, isn't it?

Yeah, ducklings are the cutest.