Fluid in Air Cell

[Isaac 0]

Yes, its a safety hole, made to ensure the duckling doesn't run out of air after the internal pip, not much can go wrong if you do it in the right place and the right way. To make a safety hole, grab either a sterilized brad point drill bit or a sharp screw, position the screw directly over the air cell end, with light pressure twist back and forth until a hole is made, do not widen the hole further, as you risk premature drying out of the membrane which may result in shrink wrapping of the duckling, if the duckling doesn't progress after 24/36 hours or is less active you can widen the hole to the size of your pinkie, ducks are very slow hatchers and can sometimes take 72 hours to zip from the first EXternal pip.

Safety holes are very small, here is one I made last night.

This is a great link,

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

 

[Isaac 0]

It would be a good idea to make a few safety holes on some undeveloped eggs first.

 

[Soos-Quacken]

Alright, and it is ok that I'm doing this even after the duckling already internally piped/the incubator being put in lockdown?

 

[Isaac 0]

Yes, As I mentioned, the safety hole is usually put 12-24 after the internal pip if there has been no progress.

 

[Soos-Quacken]

Also, did that air cell look small to you? I'm just super paranoid about that now

 

[Isaac 0]

It looks a decent size in the picture.

 

[Soos-Quacken]

Thank heavens, I swear this whole process is gonna give me ulcers

 

[Isaac 0]

It will!

 

[Soos-Quacken]

Ok, so it looks like somethings pushed up the membrane in the air cell, I still can't see a beak, but the membrane definitely has changed in shape... but I don't know if it's an internal pip...

 

[Isaac 0]

You are only seeing shadows in the air cell? Like this,