Hands on hatching and help

[BigWeenMachine]

37 out of 40 is great! What breed of ducks?

I could see a little condensation in your pic, and a little is fine, so I'd think you are good. Crammed that full is going to be hard to monitor them all, and see all around each egg. I'd just suggest watching for membranes starting to turn brown or shrink up. I'll be very curious to see how this goes. I hope you get all 18 of them to hatch!

They are anconas. Beautiful ducks, I'll take some pics in a lil bit and post em. Gettin ready to take them outside since it's 80 degrees today. I set 18 eggs a month ago in this incubator, figuring it didn't matter they were crammed in there so tight cos I figured there would be a couple that quit or died during the process. Right before I had the accident I candled the last time and still had 18 healthy babies growing inside so I guess my plan of losing a few did not happen and they ended up crammed pretty tight in there. Guess I'll know for next time.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Just want to make sure, is it okay to leave the little guy in the incubator over night? The other one didn't hatch yet and doesn't seem like he will until late tonight. The little baby is staying by the pipped egg as their talking. Should I move him to the brooder all alone? Just don't want him to sleep in the incubator all night if he shouldn't. Also don't want him being lonely in the brooder.

I'd leave him in for awhile. He'll help coax the rest of the babies to come outta their shell. My favorite part of hatches is to catch the first one zipping and then play cheeping duckling audios for it and watch em come out. Got lucky with my last one and got to watch the first one hatch and then within 2 or 3 minutes the 2nd one came right out. Guess they are ready to get out and play when they hear their buddies cheeping.

 

[WVduckchick]

They are anconas.  Beautiful ducks, I'll take some pics in a lil bit and post em.  Gettin ready to take them outside since it's 80 degrees today.  I set 18 eggs a month ago in this incubator, figuring it didn't matter they were crammed in there so tight cos I figured there would be a couple that quit or died during the process.  Right before I had the accident I candled the last time and still had 18 healthy babies growing inside so I guess my plan of losing a few did not happen and they ended up crammed pretty tight in there.  Guess I'll know for next time.

Seems to work that way! I thought the same thing when I loaded 23 call duck eggs. All 23 made lockdown.
Only hatched 13 that externally pipped, full assists on them all.

 

[rossfam06]

Seems to work that way! I thought the same thing when I loaded 23 call duck eggs. All 23 made lockdown.
Only hatched 13 that externally pipped, full assists on them all.

Eessshhh... are ducks just that much harder?

 

[rossfam06]

I'm back!!!!! I wanted to share with eveyone that I am now a Poult MaMa!! Hahahahaha!!!! I won a local raffle and won 3 royal palm poults that are 5 days old. I also won CJ's AC eggs on the Facebook raffle page! God blessed me yesterday. I am also working with another breeder in NH on a shipping experiment. She sent me CLB, Delawares, and Barnevelders!!! I set those late last night!

Life has been good lately! How is everyone else doing?

 

[WVduckchick]

Eessshhh... are ducks just that much harder?

Those were call ducks, and they can be! lol
Almost 6 weeks old now.

I'm back!!!!! I wanted to share with eveyone that I am now a Poult MaMa!! Hahahahaha!!!! I won a local raffle and won 3 royal palm poults that are 5 days old. I also won CJ's AC eggs on the Facebook raffle page! God blessed me yesterday. I am also working with another breeder in NH on a shipping experiment. She sent me CLB, Delawares, and Barnevelders!!! I set those late last night!

Life has been good lately! How is everyone else doing?

I saw the raffle win! Excellent luck! Congrats!

CLB's are still on my dream list, but I'm just not ready for them yet.

I do have 6 eggs in my hatcher right now, with 3 more going in tomorrow or Saturday maybe. Then 40+ lavender orpingtons are due a week after that!

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Eessshhh... are ducks just that much harder?

Agree with Wuvduck that calls are much harder. Even regular ducks can have a tougher time getting out and require assistance. I had 3 that pipped on the sides rather than the air sacs and I had to assist all 3 and managed to save 2 of them. I think I had to assist 2 or 3 other ducks too. They can just be stubborn lil brats at hatching time. I had one that pipped externally last year and took 56 hours before I literally had to pull him out of his shell cos he just wouldn't come out. It survived and is still running around the yard.

Here's my ancona ducklings playing in the yard!

 

[rossfam06]

Agree with Wuvduck that calls are much harder. Even regular ducks can have a tougher time getting out and require assistance. I had 3 that pipped on the sides rather than the air sacs and I had to assist all 3 and managed to save 2 of them. I think I had to assist 2 or 3 other ducks too. They can just be stubborn lil brats at hatching time. I had one that pipped externally last year and took 56 hours before I literally had to pull him out of his shell cos he just wouldn't come out. It survived and is still running around the yard. Here's my ancona ducklings playing in the yard!

Cute!!!! We tried ducks and found out it was not for us. Hahahahahaa!!!

 

[newchickmama91]

One of my call eggs has really filled out today more than the others and my aircell looks strange I don't know if it's a internal pip or just a weird shaped aircell

 

[jenniferlamar70]

One of my call eggs has really filled out today more than the others and my aircell looks strange I don't know if it's a internal pip or just a weird shaped aircell

Mine look strange too. They aren't due to go into lockdown until Monday but the air cells look like they are drawing down already. I'm at 40 to 50 percent humidity so i don't think thats it. What do yours look like?