Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

I have been lucky enough to have had pretty successful hatches to far, and have never had to assist.
However, I am starting to get nervous I may need to with my current hatch.

Over the last 10 days of incubation we experienced three prolonged power outages.....some we were not home for when they started. Because of a malfunctioning generator (that couldn't get fixed fast enough to help with one of the outages) I ended up transporting my incubator to three different friend's homes over the course of that 10 days......so six car rides. At one point I even had the incubator by my wood stove and was moving it around like crazy to keep a stable temperature......I also had it wrapped in an alpaca blanket and wearing a down jacket at times. Needless to say, I was exhausted and a nervous wreck. At lockdown I had good air cells and everyone had lost the weight they should have.

Yesterday was day 21 and I was amazed when 7 of my 19 eggs hatched......all Ameraucana or Am mixes. They were out by noon and are going strong. This morning I had two more (Brown leghorn & Welsummer), although both are in chick ICU with unabsorbed yolk sacs. Fingers crossed they will be ok. I currently have five eggs still in the incubator (Brinsea Octagon Advance) that are pipped and have been since about 9 this morning (another Wellie and some Wyandottes). Not much movement or noise, just little pip holes. Five eggs are just being quiet.

Because of the crazy temperature fluctuations over the last 10 days of incubation, I am wondering how drawn out this hatch might end up being. And at what point should I help the pippers if they don't start zipping? My humidity is around 72% right now. Doesn't temp. fluctuation affect yolk sac absorption? Could that be why they are sitting at pip for so long? Just seems it normally goes so much faster than this. In any case, any words of wisdom or advice is appreciated.

I have some hatch 10-12 hours after pip some almost 24 hours. I, personally wait until 18 hours and then I widen the pip hole enough to "check" them. If they appear to still be doing well I put them back and give them till around 24 before starting an assist. I am curious too as to how drawn out the hatch will be after all that. I'd be going crazy.

 

[zmcolbert]

One of the last to pip was the first out!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

One of the last to pip was the first out!

I noticed in my last hatch, and I want to observe this further, that the earlier my chicks pipped it seemed the longer it took to go from pip to zip, but the chicks that pipped closer to the "official" hatch time of day 21, actually pipped and zipped w/in 10 hours.

 

[hrae]

One of my Pekin duck eggs pipped without making an actual hole before 7 am yesterday (Wednesday)-- no more cracking or hole pipping but it's quacking! Another duck pipped at 12:30 pm yesterday, and had a bit of a hole by 3:00 a.m today (Thursday). I did make a tiny hole in the first one's pipped area and it was very happy and quacked at me. How long do I wait before trying to give them larger holes? I am especially worried about the first one since it seems to be very active inside the egg but isn't doing any egg cracking.

 

[caesargirl]

Since you've made a safe hole, give it time. Even in a good hatch, I've had ducks go 36+ hrs before an external pip. Keep your humidity up. Them peeping at each other also stimulates them.

 

[hrae]

Thank you! I don't want to just leave it in there peeping if it needs help. If there had been any changes at all I wouldn't be so worried. It's just sitting in there and peeping.

 

[hrae]

I just needed to wait a bit longer! At 9:00 pm there were several new holes- and baby popped out by 10:00! Yay!

 

[zmcolbert]

4 out of 8 have hatched so far. The first one that piped died, but I'm hoping the other 3 make it. I've been helping along the one that piped on the wrong end a little at a time. 2 of these came from my flock of Silver Appleyard mixes and 6 came from a friend that has a Pekin Drake and a Silver Appleyard hen. Any idea if you can tell gender by color?

 

[jlashaw]

That's great news! I only hatch chickens so I can't help you as far as sexing your ducks.

 

[zmcolbert]

That's great news! I only hatch chickens so I can't help you as far as sexing your ducks.

Thank you! It's going to be a long night for 2 that needed assistance. Hopefully we pull through!