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.

 

[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.

 

[purplesquirrel]

I've only just read these posts...
I read so many things on eggs and the biology and the structure for hours and hours.
Eventually, I took one of the eggs (which, when candled, has a small portion of the membrane missing) thinking, if something goes wrong, it was best to choose the slightly odd one.

I made a small hole in the air pocket, to discover that the membrane was totally white and leathery and very tough!
I pierced through it, to see that they hadn't even internally pipped. The membrane wall to the air sock was so thick and tough!

Using a pair of tweezers I've torn a small hole in the air pocket wall, making sure not to tear the inner membrane which still contains some small 'working' blood vessels.
I can see the ducklings down feathers and they're all wriggling about. So now all the have to do is pierce through the soft inner membrane when they're ready and pip the rest of the shell off.

This is my first time doing this but my incubator obviously was rubbish at generating enough moisture, even with me using a pipette with water every day.

I think I did the right thing, the membrane was so tough I had trouble with my tweezers.
No ones bleeding or seems distressed, I'm going to leave them to it now.

Do you think I've done alright? It's been a nerve racking day!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've only just read these posts...
I read so many things on eggs and the biology and the structure for hours and hours.
Eventually, I took one of the eggs (which, when candled, has a small portion of the membrane missing) thinking, if something goes wrong, it was best to choose the slightly odd one.

I made a small hole in the air pocket, to discover that the membrane was totally white and leathery and very tough!
I pierced through it, to see that they hadn't even internally pipped. The membrane wall to the air sock was so thick and tough!

Using a pair of tweezers I've torn a small hole in the air pocket wall, making sure not to tear the inner membrane which still contains some small 'working' blood vessels.
I can see the ducklings down feathers and they're all wriggling about. So now all the have to do is pierce through the soft inner membrane when they're ready and pip the rest of the shell off.

This is my first time doing this but my incubator obviously was rubbish at generating enough moisture, even with me using a pipette with water every day.

I think I did the right thing, the membrane was so tough I had trouble with my tweezers.
No ones bleeding or seems distressed, I'm going to leave them to it now.

Do you think I've done alright? It's been a nerve racking day!

I have sent your thread to lacrystol, hopefully she'll be on in a bit she always has good info for those hatching. Hang in there.

 

[Lacrystol]

STOP, if they can take 31 days why are you helping them?

Lets start from the beginning. What is your temp at? What is your Humidity at?

 

[Lacrystol]

OK sounds like the one you will have to help from here on. You need to take one step at a time, first Indian runners take 28 so that's a good sign, second, I need to know what your settings are at? Not concerned about the inside yet. Give me those readings so we can see what we need to change....


DON"T PANICK YET, this is NOT the time. LOL, AHHHHH!!!!