Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

Ok I have (almost) survived my first hatching. I have 13 seemingly healthy chicks. The last one to hatch was a Light Brahma early this morning. I have about the same number of eggs in my bator left. How long do I leave them and can I "peek"? They rested as of Thursday March 30th. My silkie showed me out by not only hatching the 4 I gave her but 3 of her own (my buff orpington rooster bred her) they are too cute with their bald necks and mom"s feather pattern!

I'd be peaking. Give it another 24 hours. If no more action after that, no internal pips at least, I'd call it.

 

[WVduckchick]

Yesterday: Today Yesterday I decided to make a pip for it and it looked like maybe it was shrink-wrapped? I cranked up the humidity in the hatcher and now it looks like this. See that little hole? I wonder if that had something to do with it?

Has this one made any progress? Did you take any pics earlier in incubation to see if that little hole was there? Very odd, but I bet it has something to do with the weird air cell formation.

 

[BYC910]

Yesterday:


Today


Yesterday I decided to make a pip for it and it looked like maybe it was shrink-wrapped? I cranked up the humidity in the hatcher and now it looks like this. See that little hole? I wonder if that had something to do with it?

I would bet it did . If you get a egg that is laid without a shell set it somewhere and watch how fast it shrivels up to nothing . If you haven't done it already.

 

[WVduckchick]

I would bet it did . If you get a egg that is laid without a shell set it somewhere and watch how fast it shrivels up to nothing . If you haven't done it already.

I now have a 3rd chocolate Orpington trying to go broody! Ugh!! Yesterday I took eggs from her and one had a break in the fat end of the egg. Thank goodness she didn't rupture the membrane, but it was already drying out inside there. The membrane was already whiteish.

 

[casportpony]

Has this one made any progress? Did you take any pics earlier in incubation to see if that little hole was there? Very odd, but I bet it has something to do with the weird air cell formation.

This egg was under a duck until yesterday, so I have no idea what it looked like. It made progress in that once the membrane got moist from the high humidity it filled the shell, but it wasn't really zipping, so once all the others were out I gave it a hand.

I half expected to see an issue with it's yolk, but it was 100% absorbed.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Will you set the egg?

 

[casportpony]

Here is one that had it's foot over it's head, so I helped it a little.

 

[WVduckchick]

This egg was under a duck until yesterday, so I have no idea what it looked like. It made progress in that once the membrane got moist from the high humidity it filled the shell, but it wasn't really zipping, so once all the others were out I gave it a hand.

I half expected to see an issue with it's yolk, but it was 100% absorbed.

Oh! I forgot it was under the duck. Great job!

Will you set the egg?

I tossed it into the woods. It had just been laid that day.

Here is one that had it's foot over it's head, so I helped it a little.

That's so cool!

 

[BigWeenMachine]

That could be an internal pip. It could take 24 hours or so before it pips the shell, then another 24 before it starts to zip out. Ducks can take longer than chicks. Please don't rush to assist.

I had one duck that pipped and then sat for 56 hours before I finally had to literally pull him out. I had been assisting him for probably at least 16 hours before I finally made the call to get him out on his own. Sometimes they can be very slow to hatch. Did notice on an earlier group of posts on this page that WuvDuck and Amy mentioned having to be hands on to help chicks hatch. I especially agree with Wuvducks statement about having to help all 17 ducklings or they would not have hatched. Last year, I had one duck hatch on his own and had to help out the other dozen or so that we hatched. Had i not helped, they would have all died. Ducks seem to be extremely tough to get to hatch on their own sometimes. If you have to help, just make sure there is no bleeding or veins still visible in the shell and you should be okay to assist.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Strangest air cell I have ever seen. Anyone have any idea why it looks like this?

Is that a shipped egg? I had a couple last year that looked like that and they were both shipped eggs that had been scrambled. Before I set them, I could see that the air sac was not stable and floating around inside but I tried them anyways. One died shortly after a week and the other developed but never pipped. Ended up breaking it open and the duckling looked like it had died sometime before the 21 day mark.

Speaking of this topic now, does everyone candle their eggs to check the air sacs before setting them in the incubator??? I just realized I forgot to candle before I set 50 eggs on Sunday, oops.....

One more question too, where is the best place to put the thermometer for accurate readings? Do you want it at the bottom, middle, or top of the eggs while laying in the bator. These eggs are laying on their sides since I decided to forego the autoturner this time around.

Also, I'm only turning them twice a day rather than 3, does anyone have any input on this? Had a buddy tell me twice a day instead of 3 works just fine with duck eggs so I figured I'd try it out to reduce how many times they are handled.