Hands on hatching and help

[My15Ducks]

I circled the areas that look to me like blood vessels.

That looks great. Those blood vessels are very thin and the duckling is probably very close to being ready. Is it moving, yawning, or chewing?

 

[Ashleykt56]

That looks great. Those blood vessels are very thin and the duckling is probably very close to being ready. Is it moving, yawning, or chewing?

What a relief! Thank you so much for such quick responses. Yes, it’s moving, yawning, chewing and chirping.

There are 3 more calls that externally pipped this morning. How long do you suggest I leave them alone? Yesterday was hatch day (day 26 for calls).

 

[My15Ducks]

What a relief! Thank you so much for such quick responses. Yes, it’s moving, yawning, chewing and chirping.

There are 3 more calls that externally pipped this morning. How long do you suggest I leave them alone? Yesterday was hatch day (day 26 for calls).

Yawning and chewing can be a sign that it is still absorbing the egg yolk - although based on the appearance of the veins I would be surprised if it was still absorbing much. But it sounds like it is doing ok, and I think it would be safe to wait a couple hours and then chip a bit more shell away from the edges, moisten the membrane and then check for more veins.

As for the ones that have externally pipped - I do not know specifically for Calls, but for my ducklings they can wait 24 - 48 hours before hatching after external pip. The only thing I do after they externally pip is make a safety hole (instructions in the article I linked below). A safety hole is tiny and doesn’t dry out the egg. They are very safe. They just give the duckling another source of air if they accidentally cover their first pip. It is also safe to give safety holes that have internally pipped. Of course safety holes aren’t completely necessary and many people don’t do them. I do because it’s safe and it just gives the ducklings a bit better chance of hatching and I don’t like to lose any.

This is my absolute favorite hatching guide: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/. It has instructions for assisting hatches, making safety holes, etc.

I’m going to tag someone on the duck forum who might have Call specific advice for your eggs that have pips: @KathiQuacks do you hatch Calls?

 

[KathiQuacks]

I’m going to tag someone on the duck forum who might have Call specific advice for your eggs that have pips: @KathiQuacks do you hatch Calls?

I circled the areas that look to me like blood vessels.

What a relief! Thank you so much for such quick responses. Yes, it’s moving, yawning, chewing and chirping.

There are 3 more calls that externally pipped this morning. How long do you suggest I leave them alone? Yesterday was hatch day (day 26 for calls).

I do not hatch Calls, no, but I have read about them.

This first egg looks fantastic. And honestly, the hole is wide enough that I would just leave the egg be until the baby is ready to hatch. You’ll know they’re ready when they start moving around a bunch and making lots of noise. It’s possible they’ll be able to push right out, but if not, I’d chip away just enough to get their head out, and then leave them be to do the rest.

For the other 3, I’d personally wait 6-12 hours post external pip, and then widen the hole just enough to see their bill. Chip away a bit more every 4-6 hours, moistening the membrane along the way, until the air cell is very open, like in your first egg there. Then, leave the baby be until they decide they’re ready to hatch.

 

[Ashleykt56]

I do not hatch Calls, no, but I have read about them.

This first egg looks fantastic. And honestly, the hole is wide enough that I would just leave the egg be until the baby is ready to hatch. You’ll know they’re ready when they start moving around a bunch and making lots of noise. It’s possible they’ll be able to push right out, but if not, I’d chip away just enough to get their head out, and then leave them be to do the rest.

For the other 3, I’d personally wait 6-12 hours post external pip, and then widen the hole just enough to see their bill. Chip away a bit more every 4-6 hours, moistening the membrane along the way, until the air cell is very open, like in your first egg there. Then, leave the baby be until they decide they’re ready to hatch.

Thank you so much for your response!

When I woke up this morning the baby, along with a second one, hatched! Four more have hatched since without intervention. There are 4 more eggs in the incubator and they’re all actively zipping. Very exciting!

 

[My15Ducks]

Wonderful!

Thank you so much for your response!

When I woke up this morning the baby, along with a second one, hatched! Four more have hatched since without intervention. There are 4 more eggs in the incubator and they’re all actively zipping. Very exciting!

 

[JAMarlow]

Knowing when to help and when not to is so hard.

I just finished hatching 2 batches of chicken eggs, both from shipped eggs.

In my first hatch, last week, I waited. Hands off except a last one that I could see was in distress (it didn't make it). When eggtopsing the ones that made it to lockdown but didn't hatch I saw several I remember rocking. Even heard peeping from one. But I didn't help. Turns out 3 were malpositioned and would likely have made it if I had done more. They were fully formed and perfect. Just not in the right position, with their heads down towards the pointy part of the egg. Another just couldn't get through the membrane to the air sac.

So the second hatch if I saw them moving and it had been a few hours, I drilled a small air hole and then widened it just enough to look inside to see if I could see the beak. One of them I needed to take more shell off to clear a flap of membrane that kept falling over the nostrils.

This time I didn't lose one that made it to lockdown! They are all in the incubator right now drying off. "All" of them being 4 eggs out of 5. The 5th one stopped developing right around lockdown.

And yet I feel so guilty. I helped. Maybe a little too much with the one with the membrane that kept flopping over and the chick would have to try and flick its beak to get around it. But then look over at the little chicks resting and trying to find their feet.

Does anyone else do this? Drill a small airhole and make it just big enough to look through to make sure the beak is uncovered?

 

[Mill Chick]

Knowing when to help and when not to is so hard.

I just finished hatching 2 batches of chicken eggs, both from shipped eggs.

In my first hatch, last week, I waited. Hands off except a last one that I could see was in distress (it didn't make it). When eggtopsing the ones that made it to lockdown but didn't hatch I saw several I remember rocking. Even heard peeping from one. But I didn't help. Turns out 3 were malpositioned and would likely have made it if I had done more. They were fully formed and perfect. Just not in the right position, with their heads down towards the pointy part of the egg. Another just couldn't get through the membrane to the air sac.

So the second hatch if I saw them moving and it had been a few hours, I drilled a small air hole and then widened it just enough to look inside to see if I could see the beak. One of them I needed to take more shell off to clear a flap of membrane that kept falling over the nostrils.

This time I didn't lose one that made it to lockdown! They are all in the incubator right now drying off. "All" of them being 4 eggs out of 5. The 5th one stopped developing right around lockdown.

And yet I feel so guilty. I helped. Maybe a little too much with the one with the membrane that kept flopping over and the chick would have to try and flick its beak to get around it. But then look over at the little chicks resting and trying to find their feet.

Does anyone else do this? Drill a small airhole and make it just big enough to look through to make sure the beak is uncovered?

Knowing when to help and when not to is so hard.

I just finished hatching 2 batches of chicken eggs, both from shipped eggs.

In my first hatch, last week, I waited. Hands off except a last one that I could see was in distress (it didn't make it). When eggtopsing the ones that made it to lockdown but didn't hatch I saw several I remember rocking. Even heard peeping from one. But I didn't help. Turns out 3 were malpositioned and would likely have made it if I had done more. They were fully formed and perfect. Just not in the right position, with their heads down towards the pointy part of the egg. Another just couldn't get through the membrane to the air sac.

So the second hatch if I saw them moving and it had been a few hours, I drilled a small air hole and then widened it just enough to look inside to see if I could see the beak. One of them I needed to take more shell off to clear a flap of membrane that kept falling over the nostrils.

This time I didn't lose one that made it to lockdown! They are all in the incubator right now drying off. "All" of them being 4 eggs out of 5. The 5th one stopped developing right around lockdown.

And yet I feel so guilty. I helped. Maybe a little too much with the one with the membrane that kept flopping over and the chick would have to try and flick its beak to get around it. But then look over at the little chicks resting and trying to find their feet.

Does anyone else do this? Drill a small airhole and make it just big enough to look through to make sure the beak is uncovered?

I have not put air holes in the chicks eggs unless I know it is in distress, But I know other people put them in just to make sure that they can breath.