Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

Love this thread... great topic, fascinating reading!

And welcome to the thread!

 

[Eggrolls Mom]

Welcome! Hang in there. Muscovys do take a while! Good luck.
Let us know how it goes

Any tips for me on assuring my little duckling. I heard him chirping and,furiously tapping at his shell last night but tonight there's still no hole and he's chirping a lotttt and moving alotttt.

 

[WVduckchick]

Any tips for me on assuring my little duckling. I heard him chirping and,furiously tapping at his shell last night but tonight there's still no hole and he's chirping a lotttt and moving alotttt.

So it has been internally pipped for several hours? Can you tell us a little about your incubation? Type of incubator, temps/humidity throughout, breed of duck, what day are they on? Have you candled? Etc...

 

[Eggrolls Mom]

So it has been internally pipped for several hours? Can you tell us a little about your incubation? Type of incubator, temps/humidity throughout, breed of duck, what day are they on? Have you candled? Etc...

Sorry I didn't add that before. Sort of made a home made incubator, heat was spot on at 99 give or take a degree or two with the a.c. on vs off during day/night. Humidity was between 50 and 70 because I sprayed with a mister so it it fluxuated. Eggs are supposed to be from either silver appleyard or welsh harlequin so I read that's 28 days. I've candled like EVERY day up until day 24. And then at day 25 I candled but was careful not to move the egg hardly at all. Saw mostly just black with a clearing spot that I could see a ton of movement through. Anything else?

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry I didn't add that before. Sort of made a home made incubator, heat was spot on at 99 give or take a degree or two with the a.c. on vs off during day/night. Humidity was between 50 and 70 because I sprayed with a mister so it it fluxuated. Eggs are supposed to be from either silver appleyard or welsh harlequin so I read that's 28 days. I've candled like EVERY day up until day 24. And then at day 25 I candled but was careful not to move the egg hardly at all. Saw mostly just black with a clearing spot that I could see a ton of movement through. Anything else?

Sounds good. So what day are they on now, and do you think the air cells progressed as they should have?
Sorry for all the questions, but we can't really suggest what to do without all the basics.

 

[Eggrolls Mom]

Sounds good. So what day are they on now, and do you think the air cells progressed as they should have?
Sorry for all the questions, but we can't really suggest what to do without all the basics.

Sounds good. So what day are they on now, and do you think the air cells progressed as they should have?
Sorry for all the questions, but we can't really suggest what to do without all the basics.

Oh no I'm just happy someone answered! Air sacs got a little bigger as time went on but I JUST checked with the flashlight and he's,definitely through the air sac and into the fat part of the egg. I can even see where he's been tapping a. Because that's where his ridiculously cute little beak is and b. Because it's slightly yellowed in those spots. This is day 27 or 28, I say that because they seemed to be developing ahead of ever "schedule" I could find. And weren't collected right away by the guy I got them from so I think this one may have been a day or two started already. That's why I'm concerned. I don't want him to be stuck with only a little air. I'm not at a let's crack the egg wide open level of worried but just want him to make it.

 

[Eggrolls Mom]

Here's a pic or video, whichever it allowed to load.

 

[WVduckchick]

Here's a pic or video, whichever it allowed to load.

I think the air cell looks great, so the duckling should have a good 24 hours of breathable air. I would give it to around the 24-hour mark, and if it hasn't broken the shell yet, you can make a small safety hole. Tiny! Just enough to pierce the shell into the air cell.

 

[Eggrolls Mom]

I think the air cell looks great, so the duckling should have a good 24 hours of breathable air. I would give it to around the 24-hour mark, and if it hasn't broken the shell yet, you can make a small safety hole. Tiny! Just enough to pierce the shell into the air cell.

I feel like it's been 24 because he was chirping etc early yesterday evening which makes me think he must've gotten into his air sac. Would it hurt anything to poke a teensy hole before bed tonight? And if so how do you suggest I go about that.

 

[WVduckchick]

I feel like it's been 24 because he was chirping etc early yesterday evening which makes me think he must've gotten into his air sac. Would it hurt anything to poke a teensy hole before bed tonight? And if so how do you suggest I go about that.

if you heard chirping last night, then yes, i would probably go ahead with a small hole, before going to bed.
Personally, i try to get close to the bill, but wherever you are comfortable making it is fine. It's just to allow more air in, just in case she's slow.

Some use a screw, like a drywall screw and find it fairly easy to twist in. I scratch the surface with a knife (actually a seam ripper, since my bator is in my sewing room lol) until i feel the shell getting thin, then i take a straight pin and lightly flick the shell upward, then barely pierce the membrane, and make a slit. Make sure its open. It doesn't take much.

Eta - obviously handle carefully!