Help Assisting a Malpositioned duckling please.

[Snowball1993]

Morning everyone, I've only just joined but have enjoyed reading through alot on this site for the last few weeks. We've been incubating a lone duckling (we have an old breeding flock and it seems daddy is abit hit and miss with his shooting as over 30 eggs only 3 have been fertile ) but anyway he/she is currently on day 30 she had been trying to pip without much success until very late in the evening on day 28 when he/she pips the wrong end , a whole 24 hrs later he/she hadn't made any progress and the membrane had got very yellow and tough so I opened it up just enough for her to breathe but membranes were still veiny and he/she was still making yawning motions so I left it overnight . Fast forward to this morning and there's a foot in the gap over his/her head. The membranes are starting to dry out (I have coated in coconut oil but I think its just because its been 2 days) but he/she is still making the odd chewing motion so I don't think I can help him/her out just yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I've added a photo of the predicament I'm really attached to this duckling so want the best outcome possible.

 

[yakitori]

I don’t know much about duck hatching, but it seems like it can take 48 hours. Since she can breathe just fine, I would wait until you see her actively struggling to get out...when my chick pipped the wrong end, I was extremely anxious, but she got herself out just fine.

 

[casportpony]

@Pyxis & @WVduckchick, can either of you offer some advice?

 

[Snowball1993]

I have left him/her all day, Still stuck as he/she was, the veins seem to have disappeared from the exit point but still having the odd chewing motion. Should I slowly assist or leave overnight. I'm so worried il lose him/her if I go to bed.

 

[casportpony]

You could try peeling more of the shell off. Stop if you see veins.

 

[casportpony]

Check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/assisted-hatching-thread-picture-heavy.1385740/

 

[Snowball1993]

Check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/assisted-hatching-thread-picture-heavy.1385740/

Thankyou the pictures are really helpful, I've read and reread the assisted hatching guidance all day. I'm fairly confident the veins have recided, my biggest worry is that if I help him and there some yolk still there as there is still the occasional chewing motion. Although not half as often as there was earlier today.

 

[yakitori]

I have left him/her all day, Still stuck as he/she was, the veins seem to have disappeared from the exit point but still having the odd chewing motion. Should I slowly assist or leave overnight. I'm so worried il lose him/her if I go to bed.

you can peel just the shell around the head away. It should make hatching easier... to prevent the membrane from drying out, you can cap it with a large clean egg shell. if she’s still chewing, then she’s not ready... the membrance should look completely clear when you apply coconut oil to it.

 

[yakitori]

Thankyou the pictures are really helpful, I've read and reread the assisted hatching guidance all day. I'm fairly confident the veins have recided, my biggest worry is that if I help him and there some yolk still there as there is still the occasional chewing motion. Although not half as often as there was earlier today.

don’t peel the membrane around the head away. This will prevent it from hatching prematurely.

 

[WVduckchick]

At this point, I would proceed to remove some of the shell over the air cell, only where the inner membrane is not attached to the outer membrane. This will expose more of the inner membrane so you can check for more prominent veins. I also like to take a q-tip moistened with coconut oil or Vaseline, and run it under the membrane around the ducklings head, bill, and eyes. This will help prevent the membrane from sticking to the face.
Then as the veins fade, you can Gradually open the inner membrane to allow the duckling to push out. Just be sure to let it push out on its own.