Hatching Call ducks thread

[DetDawson]

Hello

I need help

I've 9 call duck eggs in my brinsea min incubator, most eggs have pipped however one egg I'm really worried about.
They are peeping can can see beak poking in and out - however it looks like a yellow liquid is also present in the parts of the shell that the duckling has pipped. What should I do? Please someone help me

 

[DetDawson]

On a lighter note: Mind if I ask what breeds you are hatching?

Call ducks
I’m pleased to announce little Leo came out of the shell at 19:41pm UK time

 

[DetDawson]

Awesome Congrats!!

Thanks guys for all your help. One down, 8 to go. I’d like to keep this thread open to show progress of the rest of my hatch if anyone is interested? I’ve found only having experience of hatching chickens, ducks, let alone call ducks, that I’ve read are hard to hatch. So proud at least one has come out

 

[DetDawson]

Another 7 have large pips in their shells I’m gutted I’m working a 12 hour shift today. Hopefully some more will be born by the time I get home. Will post more pictures later. Little Leo is all dried off and looking extra cute

 

[DetDawson]

Hi guys, came home to another 3 hatched

 

[Pyxis]

Okay, just finished reading back through, so I'm gonna address some stuff if you don't mind Some of it was already solved, so I'm just answering in case you need to know for the future (hopefully not, but Calls are difficult hatchers if they're of good type).

No, not dark like that, its slightly yellow with parts looking like what I could only describe as scrambled egg!

This sounds like there was a small bit of leftover yolk that was not absorbed, which happens sometimes. It doesn't sound like you're describing a normal umbilicus. What you were describing sounds more like either leftover embryonic waste or a little bit of unabsorbed yolk. Unabsorbed yolk will dry up and fall off after awhile, so if it's just a little bit you can put them in a brooder with paper towels on the bottom so there's nothing they could catch it on and then just wait. I know your baby's stuff has already fallen off so this is just in case it happens again in the future

The little guy I took the last picture of is in the bator on his own drying off, still carrying round the small yellowy stuff, it's the size of a UK 2 pence. The other two that I tried to assist as were shrink wrapping are in a seperate bator, they both have big holes, both breathing and wrapped in moist kitchen towels

I believe you have already removed the towels, but if not, you should remove them. You can absolutely leave them in the incubator to keep the humidity up, but not touching the eggs. The reason for this is that it can chill the babies. A wet paper towel wrapped around them saps heat from them.

I’ve managed to take this picture quickly of the 2 ducklings in trouble

So looking at this, it looks like perhaps on the one that's correctly positioned a lot of the internal membrane over the duckling was removed? In general that shouldn't be removed; usually you just want to take the shell over the air cell off while leaving the membrane underneath intact. Then, you can coat the membrane with coconut oil or neosporin and this will allow you to see the progress of the absorption of the blood in the veins. When the membrane is clear and all the veins are gone, the ducklings will usually just push themselves right out of the hole in the egg and through the membrane with no further help needed.

If the duckling didn't manage to make a hole in the internal membrane, which I've seen a couple times, then a very small hole can be made over the beak to allow better air flow, but keep it very small; they don't need a huge hole to breath through. And before doing that, you would want to coat the membrane so you can see the veins and try to avoid them.

So, for now, just wait and see. Without the membrane intact to be able to assess absorption from, determining if you need to step in will be a little harder. Are the ducklings making chewing or yawning motions?

By the way, I love the name you chose for the first duckling I have a frizzle rooster here named Leo.

 

[DetDawson]

Hopefully some more have hatched. I’m not home from work for another 4 hours

 

[DetDawson]

This is the little fella with the small bit of yolk. It’s fallen off now. I’m just letting him dry off. I didn’t assist him. Be zipped about an hour ago on his own

 

[DetDawson]

Great! So is it just the wrong end pipper you are waiting on now?

Yes, I peeled most of the shell off him as didn't bleed, he's currently in the separate hatcher, most of body out. He's chirping and resting

 

[DetDawson]

Hi guys, sorry had to sleep. It’s 7am here in the UK. This is the one that pipped at the wrong end, I’m just letting him dry off and need to check nothing is attached, then he can join the other SIX! Thanks so much for everyone’s help in what was a very stressful day!