Hands on hatching and help

[Trippytippy28]

I don't think you can go wrong with making a safety hole at the air cell end. I did that and then opened the safety hole up so I could see what was going on, and added some neosporin (you can use vaseline, coconut oil, olive oil to keep the membrane moist) after I opened up the safety hole. The Assisted Hatching article was super helpful in knowing what to do. All the ones I opened up had already internally pipped, so I was super glad I made the safety hole. If they looked like they were trying to zip and move on their own, I let them. If they ran into trouble, I would open up the air cell more until they could manage. I didn't mess with the membrane, other than moistening it, until after the blood had receded from the membrane, and after the baby had finished "chewing" motions with its beak. After the chewing motions were over, they basically started zipping on their own.

I may have helped a bit, but I think my chicks could have done it on their own, I was just worried. Particularly for the ones that were coming out the wrong end of the egg - I just made sure their external pips were actually open and kept an eye on the beaks to make sure the air path remained clear. Also kept an eye out for shrink wrapping.

It can be so hard to know what to do. Good luck!

I'm not sure what's going on the first picture is the one that has movement the last two have been this way for 3 days now

 

[Trippytippy28]

This is what I seen last night

 

[FunClucks]

What day are you at on incubation again? I can't tell anything from those pictures other than there's a developed chick, and maybe some shadows of a beak. Depending on what day you're on, IMO it's time to put a safety hole.

You're not going to know what's going on for sure until you open up those eggs. I'd start with the one you know is alive. Get a really sharp drill bit or screw tip and carefully grind a small hole through the air sac area like the Assisted Hatching article says. Then you can carefully peel it back to get a look at the chick and figure out what's going on. Put a little coconut oil on the membrane, and see if there's blood in the membrane veins. Is the chick internally pipped? If so, make sure it can breathe, and when it finishes "chewing" motions with its beak (which indicates it's absorbing the egg sack and blood from the membrane), see if it proceeds to zip. If not, you can possibly help it.

If the chick is not internally pipped, just moisten the membrane and put the egg back in the incubator. I've never had one I opened up not be internally pipped yet, but this is what I'd do - see if it's moving and therefore still alive, moisten the membrane which probably still has blood in the veins, put it back in the incubator and wait longer.

 

[Isabella Mcadams]

Hi all,
It’s day 29 of duck incubation, and only one (that I can tell) has internally pipped. Throughout incubation the large end of the egg was slightly tilted upwards, so I don’t think they’re facing the wrong way. The one that pipped already has not made an external pip yet (it’s been about 24 hours) should I make a safety hole yet or wait a while longer?

 

[casportpony]

Hi all,
It’s day 29 of duck incubation, and only one (that I can tell) has internally pipped. Throughout incubation the large end of the egg was slightly tilted upwards, so I don’t think they’re facing the wrong way. The one that pipped already has not made an external pip yet (it’s been about 24 hours) should I make a safety hole yet or wait a while longer?

Have you read this article?
Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry

 

[Isabella Mcadams]

Have you read this article?
Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry

Yes, it’s a great article. Really helpful. I just don’t know if I should make the hole or not, I suppose it can’t hurt anything if I do

 

[casportpony]

I usually wait 24 hours to make a small safety hole with mine.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I agree if it’s been 24 hours I make a small hole just above where I see the beak
That way close for baby tj get air but not hurt them
95% they still zip and hatch themselves unless they are in the wrong position then I have to assist
You can check over the other eggs not turning them but Lift up and check fir bruises or any hits to the egg on the under side
I have had babies hatch every way possible so now I check everything to make sure

 

[Mamallama7]

Hi there,
We are on day 30 of trying to hatch 9 runner duck eggs. Yesterday (day 29) I read the assisting hatch article, I gave them all safety holes. I eventually gently opened the air sac of one of them, following all steps. It is moving but still has thick veins to absorb, still making chewing motions, so we placed it back in the incubator. Now this morning, all 9 are still wiggling, peeping, the “open” one is moving less but still moving. Its veins look exactly the same, still thick and bloody, the membrane looks very sunken towards the duckling, almost sticking to it. Maybe that’s normal, I’ve never done this.
But my question is, can they take more than 30 days to hatch? I don’t want to rush anyone. We have done this a few times (but never runner ducks) and it’s always day 28. They have been wiggling for about 4 days now. Should I continue to leave them alone?

Thank you!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hi there,
We are on day 30 of trying to hatch 9 runner duck eggs. Yesterday (day 29) I read the assisting hatch article, I gave them all safety holes. I eventually gently opened the air sac of one of them, following all steps. It is moving but still has thick veins to absorb, still making chewing motions, so we placed it back in the incubator. Now this morning, all 9 are still wiggling, peeping, the “open” one is moving less but still moving. Its veins look exactly the same, still thick and bloody, the membrane looks very sunken towards the duckling, almost sticking to it. Maybe that’s normal, I’ve never done this.
But my question is, can they take more than 30 days to hatch? I don’t want to rush anyone. We have done this a few times (but never runner ducks) and it’s always day 28. They have been wiggling for about 4 days now. Should I continue to leave them alone?

Thank you!

Did you moisten the membrane? Brush a little bit of coconut oil or vaselin onto the exposed membrane, it will help to prevent it sticking to the baby.

You should be okay leaving them for now, give them more time. Can you show us a photo of the one with the open air cell?

My ducklings weren't runners, but they hatched after 30 days. So yes it is possible for them to take that long, don't worry too much!
Is your thermometer calibrated? Slightly cooler temps can cause late hatches.