good news and a slight concern..!

[BelovedBirds]

Mister Lovebug has started hatching! He made a big crack a little bit above the air cell but I can still see him squirming in the air cell. I was talking to him and he was talking back to me and it was so so cute!
But should I take off the cracked pieces of eggshell or wait for him to do his thing?

And then I need some advice for Lilac.
It's been almost three days since they all started to internally pip and Lilac still can't internally pip, she doesn't seem to be able to get through the air cell. I've looked and looked and I see no bruises.
Should I make a hole in the air cell and try to pierce the membrane so she can breath or what?
She might not be facing the air cell but I don't know why she wouldn't make any bruises the way shes facing if shes not facing the air cell.

no, dont assist them. They're doing fine. Lovebug seems to be doing amazing.
Lilac just needs more time. You can't really help them until there is a bruise or internal pip, opening the air cell just risks her membrane drying out and makes it harder for her. She just might not be ready yet. What day are they on?

 

[quackkquack__]

no, dont assist them. They're doing fine. Lovebug seems to be doing amazing.
Lilac just needs more time. You can't really help them until there is a bruise or internal pip, opening the air cell just risks her membrane drying out and makes it harder for her. She just might not be ready yet. What day are they on?

They are on day 28.

 

[quackkquack__]

They are on day 28.

Theres not much movement coming from Lilac even when I talk to her.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Don’t remove the shell where the crack is
It’s designed to crack and stay on to protect the membrane as they absorb. I would leave baby be
If the crack is outside the air cell this baby could take 48 or more hours to hatch
Let baby move at her own pace
As for the other one you will see a lot of rocking and shadowing days before an internal pip. This is not them trying to pip yet this is normal of them getting into position and ready to hatch
I have had babies hatch days apart any cool spots In the bator can cause delays
You never make safety holes or touch the membrane before they are ready
I know this is hard but you have to sit on your hands and leave them be
Intervention to early will usually result in death for the baby
I just had one my last batch who never internal or bruised the egg
There was nothing I could do
Baby passed and when I opened it up baby had her beak tucked into her belly
Was heartbreaking
She was wiggling that morning
By evening was gone as her veins went away
We don’t know why it happens
But I have wifi assisted a baby who had two air cells and although he lived through the hatch at 4 weeks I had to have him put down
He was never able to walk , swim , preen ect on his own and that meant he couldn’t eat or drink without my help
He was a Happy duckling and loved trying his hardest but quality of life was never going to be there
I myself would rather loose one that can’t hatch itself then 4 weeks after spending 24/7 with one
I was very attached to this little guy
I still cry about it

 

[quackkquack__]

Don’t remove the shell where the crack is
It’s designed to crack and stay on to protect the membrane as they absorb. I would leave baby be
If the crack is outside the air cell this baby could take 48 or more hours to hatch
Let baby move at her own pace
As for the other one you will see a lot of rocking and shadowing days before an internal pip. This is not them trying to pip yet this is normal of them getting into position and ready to hatch
I have had babies hatch days apart any cool spots In the bator can cause delays
You never make safety holes or touch the membrane before they are ready
I know this is hard but you have to sit on your hands and leave them be
Intervention to early will usually result in death for the baby
I just had one my last batch who never internal or bruised the egg
There was nothing I could do
Baby passed and when I opened it up baby had her beak tucked into her belly
Was heartbreaking
She was wiggling that morning
By evening was gone as her veins went away
We don’t know why it happens
But I have wifi assisted a baby who had two air cells and although he lived through the hatch at 4 weeks I had to have him put down
He was never able to walk , swim , preen ect on his own and that meant he couldn’t eat or drink without my help
He was a Happy duckling and loved trying his hardest but quality of life was never going to be there
I myself would rather loose one that can’t hatch itself then 4 weeks after spending 24/7 with one
I was very attached to this little guy
I still cry about it

Poor baby, at least he was a happy duckling before he had to go.. I'm sorry.

But one more question, is it normal for Lilac to be showing no movement? I don't see any more pushing on the air cell and it's been like this for around maybe two hours. I don't hear any tapping noises and I'm worried shes suffocating like Clove did.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Poor baby, at least he was a happy duckling before he had to go.. I'm sorry.

But one more question, is it normal for Lilac to be showing no movement? I don't see any more pushing on the air cell and it's been like this for around maybe two hours. I don't hear any tapping noises and I'm worried shes suffocating like Clove did.

Have you checked under the egg for bruising
Sometimes they get upside down and we don’t know they have bruises under or pips
Can you video record candling and put it on YouTube and share the link
This may help me to see what’s going on

 

[quackkquack__]

Have you checked under the egg for bruising
Sometimes they get upside down and we don’t know they have bruises under or pips
Can you video record candling and put it on YouTube and share the link
This may help me to see what’s going on

Apologies, it's difficult to see but there is a faint shadow with no movement. I heard faint tapping but only once.
My light is bright and couldn't set the egg on it so it was all covered so thats why it's difficult to see..

And no bruises anywhere, I looked everywhere on the egg and I don't see any.

 

[quackkquack__]

I knew I should've assisted her this morning when I saw her moving still.
Lilac didn't make it, she also suffocated.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Poor baby, at least he was a happy duckling before he had to go.. I'm sorry.

But one more question, is it normal for Lilac to be showing no movement? I don't see any more pushing on the air cell and it's been like this for around maybe two hours. I don't hear any tapping noises and I'm worried shes suffocating like Clove did.

if Clove hadnt internally pipped, he didn't suffocate, as they dont start breathing air until they break through the internal membrane. Some of them simply don't have the strength. He was always a little behind right? So he probably wasn't the strongest. I'm sorry you lost him, I know it hurts.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I knew I should've assisted her this morning when I saw her moving still.
Lilac didn't make it, she also suffocated.

Again, if she didnt internally pip, she didnt suffocate. This hatch isnt going too well, I'm sorry you lost another
I had this too. I had a quail chick who was moving about, I waited a day or two, and then no more movement. When I opened the egg I saw she'd passed away. Heartbreaking, but she never internally pipped. Nothing I could've done, and nothing you couldve done either.