Good old Call Duck thread

[StormsnSaugeye]

Lol. . there are a lot of people who strongly disagree with assisting. That's all. I wouldn't encourage anyone to rush anything but it sounds to me like they are at a point where they may never externally pip. At least he you open the air cell you know they are breathing and can watch for signs that they are ready.

Yeah them not externally pipping has had me confused for a while.
I mean, I can see why people won't touch call ducks. If you can incubate a dozen or more eggs and not a single one pips, that would be exceptionally frustrating. Especially if they are all high quality birds.
Self doubt tells me that I can easily misinterpret their readiness though.

Oh, right, if upon candling you can see the membrane itself and all the detail, but the dark masses are missing, should that be taken as a sign that the yolk has been absorbed?

 

[StormsnSaugeye]

Ok, so while we’re playing the waiting game, tell me about your user name? You like to fish in the rain? Lol

Oh, right. I just adapted my youtube name because I couldn't really think of anything good. I chose the name originally because I am a guy of various talents and interests. I like a good storm and during the storm season, I've been known to chase. I live right on a lake here in Ohio (As in look out my door, and across the street is the lake) and tend to be outdoorsy.
BUT I'm actually something of an introvert. Darn near hermit like

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Yeah them not externally pipping has had me confused for a while.
I mean, I can see why people won't touch call ducks. If you can incubate a dozen or more eggs and not a single one pips, that would be exceptionally frustrating. Especially if they are all high quality birds.
Self doubt tells me that I can easily misinterpret their readiness though.

Oh, right, if upon candling you can see the membrane itself and all the detail, but the dark masses are missing, should that be taken as a sign that the yolk has been absorbed?

Well. . I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean by that . I usually can't see much of anything in mine but one big dark mass by the time they are hatch ready. Mostly I watch for yawning and chewing. When I am really sure they are wanting out, I have learned to very carefully get the head free first and have the egg in an upright position when I help it's little head out. . that way I can look down in there and see if I can see un absorbed yolk. If it still has yolk I prop it up in a solo cup or something similar with a dry paper towel inside to keep it in place. Put it back in the incubator and wait. I've had success doing that and it absorbed faster than I thought it would. Duck chick and I call that the icu cup

 

[StormsnSaugeye]

As someone who takes photographs these are shameful, but I snapped them off in a hot minute. All the eggs show this similar veining (I think they are internally detached from the chorio-allantoic membrane) not so much that you can see the interior and around the yolk sac. So my misinterpretation there.
The presence of these big old red veins to me is like a danger sign.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

View attachment 1472235

As someone who takes photographs these are shameful, but I snapped them off in a hot minute. All the eggs show this similar veining (I think they are internally detached from the chorio-allantoic membrane) not so much that you can see the interior and around the yolk sac. So my misinterpretation there.
The presence of these big old red veins to me is like a danger sign.

Hum. And that is one that is internally pipped? Looks like a good healthy egg though. I'm used to seeing the egg a little more full than that at hatch time. The way I understand it they don't start absorbing yolk until they pip and start breathing oxygen. If it's been internally pipped for over 24 hours I would at least do a safety hole.
@Pyxis
@WVduckchick
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

here is an example of one of my assists. Each time I go in to moisten the membrane I try to very carefully peel back a little bit more membrane as long as I'm not hitting any blood. I try to wait at least an hour or so in between each time. When I finally get them to this point I leave them be to let them push out on their own if at all possible.

 

[StormsnSaugeye]

Oh no this is one of the open assists.

 

[StormsnSaugeye]

here is an example of one of my assists. Each time I go in to moisten the membrane I try to very carefully peel back a little bit more membrane as long as I'm not hitting any blood. I try to wait at least an hour or so in between each time. When I finally get them to this point I leave them be to let them push out on their own if at all possible.

Yeah I slowly peeled away some of the membrane on one of them that shows no blood vessels until about partway down the egg itself. I just finished peeling back a bit. The membrane came off its wing easily enough, so at this stage it'll have to make up its own mind. I'm a bit too nervous about the red blood vessels visible on candling to go any further.
Still nothing from the other internal pips (Most of them have at this point) nor the two safety holes. So at this stage, we have 4 ducks that have their air cells opened, waiting for me to consider the blood vessels receded enough and a long night ahead.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Oh no this is one of the open assists.

Ah. Ok. I would just keep moistening the membrane for now and not peel back any just yet. It should be just fine as long as it can breathe. Watch out for its nostrils when you apply oil or whatever you are using. I suspect it's going to be a tiny one and just hasn't filled the egg up with its little body.
The veins should start to recede soon.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Yeah I slowly peeled away some of the membrane on one of them that shows no blood vessels until about partway down the egg itself. I just finished peeling back a bit. The membrane came off its wing easily enough, so at this stage it'll have to make up its own mind. I'm a bit too nervous about the red blood vessels visible on candling to go any further.
Still nothing from the other internal pips (Most of them have at this point) nor the two safety holes. So at this stage, we have 4 ducks that have their air cells opened, waiting for me to consider the blood vessels receded enough and a long night ahead.

Kind of nerve wracking isn't it.
It's fun and exciting too though. It's just really hard to make a decision not knowing for sure if it's the right one. They like to take their sweet time too.