Hatching help

[kaumlauf]

Hi- my blue swede is hatching her 3 eggs now. 2 have hatched over the span of 3 days. There is a fourth, and it has been hatching for over 2 days- still trying to get out. Should I try to help it out (partially remove shell) ? How long can it take to completely hatch? What if there are dark and murky colored eggs(the color ids underneath the shell). Does it mean they are rotten? I'll post a pix.
Thanks,

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi- my blue swede is hatching her 3 eggs now. 2 have hatched over the span of 3 days. There is a fourth, and it has been hatching for over 2 days- still trying to get out. Should I try to help it out (partially remove shell) ? How long can it take to completely hatch? What if there are dark and murky colored eggs(the color ids underneath the shell). Does it mean they are rotten? I'll post a pix.
Thanks,

It can take 24-36 hours for ducklings to completely hatch so patience is needed, can you tell if ducklings bill is out of the membrane? can you see into the egg what does membrane look like? breaking tiny pieces of shell may be okay as long as you don't see blood but first get a good look at egg where the duckling has pipped and post back. and can you candle the remaining eggs to see what's going on?

 

[kaumlauf]

The bill is through the membrane, and opening and closing. This has been in this opening stage for over 24 hours. The mother duck nibbles at it a little. I pulled away a few tiny bits of shell, and left membrane. I saw blood so I stopped.

 

[kaumlauf]

The other egg has a solid form in it but no movement. There is also a long hairline crack running the length of the egg. It is a darker than the rest of the egg.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The bill is through the membrane, and opening and closing. This has been in this opening stage for over 24 hours. The mother duck nibbles at it a little. I pulled away a few tiny bits of shell, and left membrane. I saw blood so I stopped.

Good for you, let the duckling hatch by itself it at all possible, seeing blood is letting you know it's still not ready. but don't keep taking the egg out from under the mama because everytime you do you can cause the membrane to dry and shrink wrap the duckling the membrane should be white if it is brown and dried out looking then it maybe shrink wrapped.

The other egg has a solid form in it but no movement. There is also a long hairline crack running the length of the egg. It is a darker than the rest of the egg.

I'm thinking this egg may not be any good. but please make sure before tossing.

 

[kaumlauf]

I went out to look, and the duckling has hatched himself, ..the mother is nibbling at the eggshell. He is wobbly, and just beginning to lift his head. He's more or less dry, the feathers just damp. She is sitting right on top of him. Will she smothere him? Last night, there was a smothered chick, buried deep in the bedding, directly beneath her. The other 2 ducklings manage to keep under her wings, and out of the way of her large bulk..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went out to look, and the duckling has hatched himself, ..the mother is nibbling at the eggshell. He is wobbly, and just beginning to lift his head. He's more or less dry, the feathers just damp. She is sitting right on top of him. Will she smothere him? Last night, there was a smothered chick, buried deep in the bedding, directly beneath her. The other 2 ducklings manage to keep under her wings, and out of the way of her large bulk..

Hopefully she won't smother the new one, but if you take it away she most likely won't take it back so be ready to brood if you fear for it's life. I'm glad it hatched on it's own that great news.

 

[kaumlauf]

The little one made it through the night! He's a little wobbly yet though.
She has a nest in a pen separated from the other ducks, but she likes to join her friends and leaves the little ones behind tempoariy. I guess this is normal. But, the dominant drake has taken to pecking the tiny wee ones when he gets the chance, so I've confined her and the 3 babies to the pen. I'll try letting them out again in a few days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The little one made it through the night! He's a little wobbly yet though.
She has a nest in a pen separated from the other ducks, but she likes to join her friends and leaves the little ones behind tempoariy. I guess this is normal. But, the dominant drake has taken to pecking the tiny wee ones when he gets the chance, so I've confined her and the 3 babies to the pen. I'll try letting them out again in a few days.

If the drake is already pecking he can kill them so good of you to lock mama and babies up keep them separate but where they can all see each other for at least 3 weeks that gives the ducklings time to get some weight and strength to them, and they will be able to stay out of danger[daddy] better. Glad the lil one made it through the night.