Hands on hatching and help

[duckduckseuss]

I don't know enough about hatching ducks to answer the bruise question.

A bruise usually is an indication they are trying to pip in that area. How far from the tip?
Some can still successfully hatch that way, if they have room to maneuver. Others might need help.

Well I went ahead and broke open enough of the air cell to peek in there. I don’t see a beak at all near the air cell but I did see that the membrane was white and dried out but he is still alive in there! I moistened the membrane with coconut oil and a qtip and then taped up the hole and let him be.

I then went ahead and opened up viewing hole sin the other two eggs. Their membranes were white too so I did the same thing to those.

So in conclusion: all had dry membranes which I moistened with a qtip and a teensie bit of coconut oil and then taped up the hole in the shells and pipped them all back in the bator.
The first one internally pipped but hasn’t yet externally pipped and is now peeping! Hooray!
The second one is positioned correctly, I can see the beak, but it hasn’t internally pipped (I tore a bit on the first layer of the membrane near his beak because there were no blood vessels there.. I didn’t tear through it fully though and am debating whether or not I should... maybe I’ll wait until the blood vessels fade away more for that one before I intervene any further..?)
The third is malpositioned and is trying to pip near the pointy end of the egg about and inch and a half at least away from the air cell

Hoping I did the right thing

 

[duckduckseuss]

*popped them back in the bator, not pipped lol ugh typos..

 

[duckduckseuss]

For anyone whose following- I heard the 3rd egg (malpositioned on) tapping an peeping from inside of the egg. I ended up (very slowly) opening up the bruised part of the shell and I am SO GLAD that did because there was his/her little beak trying to bust through but the membrane was soo dry and tough. I moistened it as best as I could and made a little tear where there were no blood vessels so he/she could breathe. I know we aren’t out of the woods yet but I just wanted to share how relieved I am because not too long ago I was sure it was dead.

 

[duckduckseuss]

Hey all!
Sorry to be asking so much but I need some opinions...
At this point it is day 32!
Duck egg named “Doctor” hatched yesterday morning at 6:40am
But the other two still have not
They are definitely alive- I chipped away all of the air cell on the one that was properly positioned and tore away enough membrane to manage to get its beak out to breathe. Did the same thing for the other one which was malpositioned with its head near the small end of the egg (everything else about its position was normal, just as if he/she was flipped onto the wrong end...) They both still have some visibly large veins that are making me refuse to help any further- once the veins recede I’m not afraid to help... but seeing as it is about to be 24 hours since Doctor hatched and they were all put in the incubator on the same day and enduring the same incubations conditions, should I be concerned? How long is too far apart in hatches between eggs like this?

Thanks in advance for the support and answers

 

[aart]

IME with chicken eggs there can be about 2-3 day span of hatching.
When to assist is hard to advise over the internet, it's part science and part 'art'.
Definitely wait for veins to recede...if the beaks are clear for breathing it's often best to wait.

Maybe you've already seen this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Pyxis]

Yep, assisting has started:



All eight Call eggs that were fertile from this shipped batch have made it to lockdown.

 

[aart]

Yep, assisting has started:

View attachment 1720491

All eight Call eggs that were fertile from this shipped batch have made it to lockdown.

Hey, there's this really good article on assisting

 

[Pyxis]

Hey, there's this really good article on assisting

I better go check it out

 

[Ms Clucky]

I help if it seems that it is taking to long for the little one to hatch. I get it started then use a eye dropper and drip warm water down inside careful not to go in the mouth or eyes. It works for me. It helps them move around in the egg and it helps us not to draw blood when we pull the shell off.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yep, assisting has started:

View attachment 1720491

All eight Call eggs that were fertile from this shipped batch have made it to lockdown.