Help! Duckling off to a bad start and now stuck in egg

[Eika]

Hello!

I'm a new member here and would like to thank you all, despite not having an account I've still learnt a lot from this site, particularly when raising some orpington chicks earlier in the year. Now I have a bit of a dilemma with some Muscovy ducklings (it would appear they're not the luckiest of ducks!) who have had a very difficult few days and now appear to be unable to move around to kick out of their eggs due to humidity issues.

Long story short, their mother incubated them very well up until 3 days ago, when one started to hatch and she killed it (suspected she was just trying to get the eggshell off, and as a first time mother she was far too rough). The whole flock then decided to worry and pick at the remaining eggs so we took them away for fear of losing them all.

I'd like to point out that we don't have an incubator, and have resorted to keeping these guys in a shoebox with a heat-mat and damp paper towels. I wasn't expecting them to survive but somehow the temperature has been very steady around 35C and 3 days later, they are still with us!

The problem is, they've been trying to crack the eggs for at least 3 days now and only managed to crack the shells slightly 1 ago. Since that, there has been no progress in the slightest, and they don't cheep so much. This worries me, and I think they might be exhausted. So, after much googling around, I started to remove a little of the shell, taking care not to hit any veins etc. It went well, and I managed to zip almost all around the egg then left it for a while. Again, there has been no progress at all, although they are still breathing and they cheep faintly when I touch their beaks with the tweezers. When removing the shell, I'm having difficulty working out what exactly the membrane is. There is a white, papery/rubbery layer immediately under the shell, and then a more flexible, skin like layer which does have some veins in (though they have been fading rapidly) which is actually wrapped around the ducklings themselves. I think humidity is a definite issue here, I'm unable to remove the shell without removing the papery membrane, but I don't want to pick to much at the other membrane as there are still a few veiny bits.

Now I've read that the duckling has to be able to move around to kick open the shell, but due to the skin-like membrane they don't seem to be able to move at all - is this why they can't get out? Should I slowly peel it back, or wait until all the veins have been absorbed? I know these aren't ideal conditions and I'll be surprised if they do survive but it's worth trying!

Oh, by the way there are 4 eggs, I wasn't sure what best to do so I've interfered with 2 and left the other 2 completely alone, so in case I make stupid beginner mistakes the 'nature's way' 2 still have a chance. They haven't made any progress at all, and don't cheep anymore but I can hear a faint scratching in one of them. Should I interfere with this one too? Or leave it be?

Help please!
Eika

 

[billw]

I've found that I can't do a better job than nature in hatching ducks. I tried to out-think her and hatch the eggs the way I thought would work better, but ultimately the best success I had was with the "do nothing" approach.

So, that is what I now recommend. Keep them warm and keep your hands off and they probably stand a better chance than with "assistance" even if they haven't been kept under ideal conditions.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This may give you some ideas on when it's best to step in and help. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644492/help-duck-egg-pipped-internally-3-days-ago-but-no-external-pip-yet#post_8686492Have you candled to see if any of the other 2 have pip internally?

 

[Eika]

I tend to agree with you Bill, and sure enough one of the ones I left alone is now slowly getting somewhere with the pipping (it's not as progressed as much as I'd like over the day but as long as it's getting somewhere I'm happy to leave it be)

Thanks MissLydia, I had a look and have managed to get the first out. He/She is tired but cheeping a lot and seems to be fine. I'll get pics up as soon as my camera is working As for the second one, I've taken away enough of the shell that it's beak is poking out and it can breathe, but the membrane on that one has remained quite veiny (unlike the first, who's membrane seemed to dry out a bit) so I've left it for now - as long as it is warm and breathing we'll see if it can get out by itself.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Eika]

Oh another thing, I bought some starter crumble for them but where I work they only sell chick starter, so it is medicated. I know they can't have that permanently but is it safe to feed them a little bit of it until we can get non-medicated? We'll need to drive to the rural supplies shop but Friday is probably the earliest we can get there. Will they be ok on medicated crumble until then, or should I boil some rice or something? By the way all 3 are out now

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Go over to Metzer's site to double check, but I'm pretty sure that I read there that medicated has proven to be okay as of lately. I guess the old version of medicated feed contained stuff that wasn't ok for ducks, but now those medications aren't used. I can't say from personal experience tho, I've only used unmedicated myself. I think for 24h or so they should be ok. Good luck with your babies. I have had nothing but failure anytime I've helped nature along, so I'm really impressed with your Duck Hatching Intuition. Keep it up.

 

[Eika]

Thanks Holly, I've had a look and wow what an interesting site! I hadn't heard of Metzer before, must be huge in the US. They've had a bit of the crumble but don't seem to eat much. I've floating the crumbs in their water and that seems to be the best way to get them eating as they kept coughing out the dry crumbs. Is this ok? They're getting very cute very fast haha

 

[michellemcfeely]

I'm curious about this as well

 

[kendradillon]

I hatched muscoveys this year too.. Out if 12 eggs 3 successful hatches and only 2 survived.. I've read a lot about them. They r one if the hardest to hatch! Idk y. Best if luck!!

 

[kendradillon]

Oh and if u pour water over the food!! Make it into a slop! And if u find they lack energy n hardly eat first day or two mix some light sugar water n put it over the food, gives them energy to eat!