Help! My ducklings are late hatching!

[purplesquirrel]

It's day 29 and I haven't heard any squeaking and there are no visible signs of pipping.
I candled them briefly and I can see them all moving around inside.
I only have 3 and I've been so excited it feels like I've been waiting forever for them to hatch.
I use a pipette to put warm water over their shells ever couple of days. They can't all be weak ducklings surely?

Am I being too impatient? I have only seen videos of people helping chicks when there is a small hole pipped already.
Obviously I don't want to help out unless it's desperate measures, I really don't want them to die.

They are a mixture of indian runners/mallards/magpies.


Any comments would be very much appreciated!


Kate.

 

[jennybvcr]

Well we like you anyway.

 

[Pollmadoll]

I meant day 29 sorry

 

[jennybvcr]

FYI, this thread and that particular post is from 2014, and that member hasn’t been around for a few years. It’s no problem, just saying they probably won’t reply to you.

Yep, I had noticed that but thanks! Would have been terribly sad if I sat around wondering why no body liked me

 

[Pollmadoll]

Very sad day, the serama silky chick that was stuck waiting in the incubator for someone to play with ,died this afternoon. I had been feeding and giving him water and tonic since Sat when he finally came out of the egg two days late. The chick had pipped away from the aircell on the side and had been stuck for 28 hours but hopefully the other one will hatch ok. Pipping at the moment. Not sure about duckling that the egg was wobbling around yesterday. Two days overdue. They are both in incubator together so cannot open incubator to see if duckling is still alive !! For fear of shrink wrapping the hatching chick.

 

[lshytle]

I'm not sure about the incubation period for those ducks but make sure it is 28 days. Some take as long as 31+. Have you had your incubator a constant 99.5 during incubation? If you had it lower, they might still be developing. Just stay patient. Keep me posted. If you still have no ducklings on day 30, and you know the incubation period is 28 days, tell me and I'll walk you through what to do. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[purplesquirrel]

I'm not sure about the incubation period for those ducks but make sure it is 28 days. Some take as long as 31+. Have you had your incubator a constant 99.5 during incubation? If you had it lower, they might still be developing. Just stay patient. Keep me posted. If you still have no ducklings on day 30, and you know the incubation period is 28 days, tell me and I'll walk you through what to do. Good luck with your hatch!

awesome thank you so much!
Yeh I'm pretty sure the temperature has been consistent, only opening it briefly to pipette with water.
I just read this;
'Aylesburys and Indian Runner ducks have an average incubation period of
28 days, but experience tells me this can be 26-31 days within a single batch'.

I'll let you know if there is any news.

Many thanks.

 

[purplesquirrel]

Still no signs of external pipping.
I can't even hear any tapping or squeaking but when I candled them, they're all still moving.
I'm freaking out, why aren't they even trying to come out?
There are absolutely no cracks at all in all 3 of them

Please help!

 

[ducksinarow]

Have they internally pipped? When mine internally pipped I broke a small hole in the shell and let them finish hatching.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please don't get freaked out and start helping, ducks are notoriously slow in hatching. Look up Lacrystol she has alot of experience in hatching and can help loads.