Hatching Ducklings dying

[amfrancis2]

I have a first time female hatching a clutch of eggs. So far, we have found 1 egg kicked into the water dish and 6 more kicked out of the nest. The ducklings were on their way of removing their shells when we found them. At least a 1/4 of the shell gone, the drake is still with this female. She has 2 eggs left under her. What do we need to do so she may have 2 ducklings to raise. Her sister is still sitting on all her eggs, but she built her nest in a kennel away from the drake and her sister. Could the female be kicking them out because of a defect or the drake being jealous and kicking them out before they finish hatching? Should I lock the kennel of her sister? Should I move the drake away from the female with just 2 eggs? Please help!!

 

[Pyxis]

It's much more likely that the female is doing it than that the drake is reaching under her and pulling eggs out as they hatch. Some females are just not good mothers, especially their first time. My friend has a hen that will always kick eggs out from under her as soon as they start to hatch.

It doesn't necessarily mean that they have defects, either, she could just be kicking them out as a consequence of being a first timer or she just won't accept the ducklings.

You can try locking her away from the drake but he's probably not the issue. Do you have an incubator? You can try leaving the eggs under her but I'd have the incubator warmed up and ready just in case she kicks those too. If you get them in the incubator quickly enough after she kicks them you can save them.

Or just preemptively pull them to the incubator now. That would be the safest and easiest thing to do.

 

[amfrancis2]

Could I move them to her sister?

 

[Pyxis]

Could I move them to her sister?

You could but then her sister is going to abandon her eggs to take care of the ducklings when they hatch. You could try to pull them out from under her as soon as they hatch to prevent that, but it might still happen.

 

[NEIAMuscovies]

If they are starting to hatch I have a lot of luck pulling the eggs but you need to catch before they get cold. So if the duckling has cracked and air hole in the shell I will get a box and a heating pad and some rags to lay over pad so they don't get too hot. And a towl to go over top to keep in the warmth. You can care fully begin to crack the shell and do a assist with hatching. Now when cracking the shell their is a thin under skin under the shell you will want to be careful and leave it mostly intacted. You may want a flash light and scissors to locate the blood vessel and open up the skin carfully. Once you have the ducklings head clear and he can straighten out I call it good. Now on that inner skin their is a blood vessel that run with it. As your breaking shell you can sometimes nick the blood vessel and blood will apear. Don't worry but don't go any further on that side. Start on the other. Till the duckling can straighten. I usually let their lower bodies stay with the rest of the shell and let them finish that. The yoke and umbilical cord are attached to that part of the shell and needs time to dry just as that blood vessel does. Lay them in the box to keep them warn and simulate being under mommy. As long as you can get their head clear and have the shell open they can do the rest and you shouldn’t have any die on you. This all purely from personal experience.