Help hatching

[poniesforever]

Hi, its been a while since I have been on here. But I need some help didn't no where else to go...

I had a fairly successful hatch last year of chicks. This year my brother in law asked if I would incubate/hatch some duck eggs for him. I enjoy it so much... There are two batches... first batch was due the 5th... one hatched over the wee hours on the morning of the 6th... on the morning of the 7th (yesterday) I woke to one egg due that was due on the 5th pipping... and one egg thats due on the 8th also pipping. All day yesterday they only made a tiny hole in the egg. I thought surely by this morning (I am in New England) they would be out... but everything was still the same...

So, this morning, I kept seeing the one due the 5th, every now and then opening its beak as much as it could through the hole... like trying to get air. Last night it was pretty active, this morning just gasping now and then. So I broke the egg from around most of it. Turns out its wing was over its head. I don't know if it will make it. Its feathers were all dry in the small part exposed to air. Should I break the egg from around the one that is due today, the 8th? its had its hole since yesterday mid morning also...

The other eggs due on the 5th, don't seem to be doing anything at this time. But last night, there were at least 4 eggs due on the 8th, that were wiggling and I could hear them. I expected to seem then pipped this morning but I don't see anything....

Any advice... what do I do??

The one I broke the shell from, is still in the incubator, and with part of the egg still on it... but it is not moving, altho, its eyes are open and its just laying there breathing.

Thanks for your help!

 

[poniesforever]

I know it takes several hours for them to work their way out of their egg... but is 24 hours or more, normal..? It has been 24 hours easily... maybe more. I am just at a loss... I didn't think it would be all that different from chick hatching...

 

[Amiga]

I think this is within the normal range. I will send this then find a link to stickies for you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

 

[poniesforever]

Thank you... the one that I broke open did indeed die. I don't know if I should have left it alone. I guess, I will leave the others and see what happens. I wish I had some experience with duck eggs!

 

[Amiga]

Check in on this thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/594278/thread-formerly-known-as-hatch-day-is-today

 

[poniesforever]

Thank you Amiga!

Well, this morning I have 2 ducks hatched out in the incubator. But the other egg that started to pip two mornings ago, still has just a small hole... through the day yesterday it had started to make the line around but it only got maybe half an inch. Lastnight it was still wiggling, but nothing this morning. The two ducklings that are in there, started to pip after that one, and they are out and getting around. I don't know, but it doesn't seem like it will make it. I read through part of that last thread, but haven't gotten all through it yet. I will go read more now. But I wanted to thank you for your help!

 

[Amiga]

Hatching takes nerves of steel, and often there is some heartache. Yet those who do it seem to cherish their participation in bringing forth new life. There is also the Thread Formerly Known as Hatch Day Is Today. Buncha hatchers there.

 

[poniesforever]

Well, I am unsure exactly what went wrong. Out of 25 duck eggs, I now have 4 alive and healthy ducklings. After 2 had pipped and had air holes, but never made it out of their shells, after two days... when another had pipped and was still alive after a day, I did help it... I sort of made sure the egg shell was cracked by gentlely pressing it... when after a couple hours, the chick still wasn't out, and was still very active... I peel away some of the lining of the egg, which was very tough..? Is that normal..? I had to tear it with tweezers, as my fingers couldn't seem to brake it... (since it was the last egg making any progress, I lifed the lid of the incubator, and put my hands in, to work on it, and I was afraid of applying much pressure, and possibly doing damage to the chick, and I didn't want things to get worse then they were.) Anyway, after tearing several pieces of it away... and just waiting and watching... the chick eventually unfolded itself, and wiggled its way out of its egg. Still took it a couple more hours, but this chick actually lived, where the first one I helped did not. I kept the humidity high, around 65 during incubation, and about 75 during hatching... I don't know why it was so hard to brake out of the shells... especially after they had the hole made, and beaks sticking out... I now think if I had done the same with those two, they probably would have lived.

I am living and learning to be sure. I hate to see anything die... knowing it was trying to get out... that was hard. But, even this, has been a learning experience. Hopefully in the future things will go better. Thanks again, for all of your help!