Hatch crisis?

[billw]

The three remaining never pipped internally. I candled and saw no movement 24 hours after they should have hatched, so I removed the shell over the air cell to have a look and these three (out of 11 I checked) turned out to still be alive. I opened up the membrane just enough for them to get their bills out. They haven't progressed from that point since yesterday.

So, no more need for candling - I can see them. I'm hoping they'll do the rest of the work. I just don't know if they have it in them after being stuck in the shell so long. On the other hand, the one that was able to push itself out died, so I'm not sure they are ready to come out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The three remaining never pipped internally. I candled and saw no movement 24 hours after they should have hatched, so I removed the shell over the air cell to have a look and these three (out of 11 I checked) turned out to still be alive. I opened up the membrane just enough for them to get their bills out. They haven't progressed from that point since yesterday.

So, no more need for candling - I can see them. I'm hoping they'll do the rest of the work. I just don't know if they have it in them after being stuck in the shell so long.

Does it look like the membrane is dried out if so then you'll have to help them out.

 

[billw]

Unfortunately, I am not experienced enough to be sure. It is definitely gummy and not easy to remove. Since none of these have been successful, I'm not completely sure what it is supposed to look like. It is not white and papery - it is more like rubber cement. It also definitely still has blood vessels in it. My understanding from reading other threads is that the blood vessels should be dried up before giving them any additional help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Unfortunately, I am not experienced enough to be sure. It is definitely gummy and not easy to remove. Since none of these have been successful, I'm not completely sure what it is supposed to look like. It is not white and papery - it is more like rubber cement. It also definitely still has blood vessels in it. My understanding from reading other threads is that the blood vessels should be dried up before giving them any additional help.

They should be or if you hit one while helping then you back off and wait a while before helping again. if they were shrink wrapped it would look dried out. I think your right to just wait, I know it must be hard to sit by and not do anything at least I can't sit an stare at the egg I'm waiting for since it's under my duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any news this morning?

 

[billw]

Unfortunately, none of them made it. Two never got out of their shells. Two pushed out, but died several hours later.

I wonder if it took them so long to push out that they became dehydrated. Otherwise, I'm not sure why they would have died after making their escape.

Anyway, it was a bust. Probably good experience as I learned a lot, but I doubt I'll be trying again this year.

On the up side, we have four ducks sitting, so we have another chance at ducklings in about three weeks and I'm betting the ducks will do a better job. Until today, we'd had four ducks sitting on two giant nests, but overnight they rearranged things so that there are now divisions and four neat round nests. Hopefully that means there won't be fighting over the ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Unfortunately, none of them made it. Two never got out of their shells. Two pushed out, but died several hours later.

I wonder if it took them so long to push out that they became dehydrated. Otherwise, I'm not sure why they would have died after making their escape.

Anyway, it was a bust. Probably good experience as I learned a lot, but I doubt I'll be trying again this year.

On the up side, we have four ducks sitting, so we have another chance at ducklings in about three weeks and I'm betting the ducks will do a better job. Until today, we'd had four ducks sitting on two giant nests, but overnight they rearranged things so that there are now divisions and four neat round nests. Hopefully that means there won't be fighting over the ducklings.

Sorry to hear of the outcome. Did you ever say what breed these are? And I do hope you get alot of ducklings from your mamas. They do make things alot easier.

 

[billw]

They are mostly Swedish with a few layer hybrids and a buff mixed in. So, they would have been mostly Swedish and some mutts.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure to post back when your girls start the hatching, and don't forget the pics too.