Help! Brown spots forming on hatching pekin duck egg after external pip!

[BrendaM13]

Our Pekin duck egg made his external PIP yesterday at 3 PM, about 20 hours ago. During that time frame he has made a hole about the size of a quarter and started zipping (you can see faint line forming around bottom section of egg from his exit hole) BUT we are noticing now on his egg 3 dark spots, see picture attached. He is still chirping, opening up his beak, wiggling, and is trying to push through the hole. He is making some progress on his exit hole very little by little. But I am concerned about the dark spots. Can anyone give me advice on this?

 

[AltonaAcres]

That just means there is pressure on the egg in those areas. For example sometimes when a duck is about to pip or is having trouble doing so, a dark spot will form where their head is. I would start assisting. I'm no duck expert but it seems that your baby is having trouble. @MGG, any thoughts?

 

[Isaac 0]

If the duckling is moving around, I wouldn't really be concerned about it. The membrane does look dry, whats your humidity at?

 

[MGG]

That just means there is pressure on the egg in those areas. For example sometimes when a duck is about to pip or is having trouble doing so, a dark spot will form where their head is. I would start assisting. I'm no duck expert but it seems that your baby is having trouble. @MGG, any thoughts?

The membrane looks really dry, can you apply some coconut oil on it? Those are called bruises. It could have nicked a small vein in those areas. Is he making yawning/chewing motions? It sounds like he is.

opening up his beak,

That means he is still absorbing yolk. Dont assist yet. Can you get your humidity up to 75-80%?

 

[BrendaM13]

The membrane looks really dry, can you apply some coconut oil on it? Those are called bruises. It could have nicked a small vein in those areas. Is he making yawning/chewing motions? It sounds like he is.

That means he is still absorbing yolk. Dont assist yet. Can you get your humidity up to 75-80%?

Trying to get the humidity up...it is in an incubator so if I apply coconut oil I would have to open incubator. Isn’t that bad? I have a really hot humid Florida room I could open it in if need be.

 

[MGG]

Trying to get the humidity up...it is in an incubator so if I apply coconut oil I would have to open incubator. Isn’t that bad? I have a really hot humid Florida room I could open it in if need be.

Are any other eggs externally pipped? If you need to open the incubator to apply the oil, take the egg out quickly, mist the other eggs, shut the incubator. Apply the oil, very gently and don't get it in the bill or eyes. Just the membrane. Then open the incubator, put it back, and mist the eggs again. I'm pretty hands on during hatch, I remove shells, remove babies as soon as they're somewhat dry, candle unpipped eggs, and I just mist with warm water when I'm done. I've never had a shrink wrapped chick. I'm not saying be like me, but I've never had any problems with it. You'll be totally fine to open it up and put on oil quick.

 

[BrendaM13]

Are any other eggs externally pipped? If you need to open the incubator to apply the oil, take the egg out quickly, mist the other eggs, shut the incubator. Apply the oil, very gently and don't get it in the bill or eyes. Just the membrane. Then open the incubator, put it back, and mist the eggs again. I'm pretty hands on during hatch, I remove shells, remove babies as soon as they're somewhat dry, candle unpipped eggs, and I just mist with warm water when I'm done. I've never had a shrink wrapped chick. I'm not saying be like me, but I've never had any problems with it. You'll be totally fine to open it up and put on oil quick.

This is the only egg in the incubator so I wouldn’t disturb other eggs. I can’t find coconut oil, is there something else I can use? Should I mist the egg too?

 

[MGG]

This is the only egg in the incubator so I wouldn’t disturb other eggs. I can’t find coconut oil, is there something else I can use? Should I mist the egg too?

Oh, ok. You can open it then. Do you have any triple antibiotic ointment? I think you can use most oils, olive oil will work too. You don't have to mist it, but you can mist the area around the egg.

 

[BrendaM13]

Oh, ok. You can open it then. Do you have any triple antibiotic ointment? I think you can use most oils, olive oil will work too. You don't have to mist it, but you can mist the area around the egg.

I have Neosporin and olive oil...so just spread that on the membrane where he is exiting?

 

[MGG]

I have Neosporin and olive oil...so just spread that on the membrane where he is exiting?

Just the yellow membrane. Don't go overboard, just dip a q-tip in the oil and gently rub it on.