Help please with first hatch

[lj2016]

Update: so I went to take the new duckling out of the hatcher but before I did I suddenly noticed the other egg is moving again. It's hard to see as the eggs rolled so far out of sight through the viewing window but I can make out a hole and the bit of broken shell over that hole is moving so I assume that's the beak perhaps. That means it is alive still! I guess I wait and hope he starts zipping soon? I'll leave the new one in the hatcher through the nite to hopefully encourage the guy out. I just can't understand why they are pipping and then taking so long to zip/hatch, this one pipped long before the one that hatched out earlier

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yay!!!

Ducklings take their sweet time, is all... think they wish to teach us patience, lol... I had a Call duckling take 3 days to hatch from first pip, talk about the longest 3 days of my life!

 

[lj2016]

Good, I'm relieved to hear it's normal then for them to take so long. This certainly teaches you patience. Once I've mastered this egg thing I can buy some other duck breeds to try so I have a nice varied flock for now I have an awful lot of pekins!

 

[lj2016]

I don't think the pipped egg has survived. I could see movement until about 5am this morning but since then there has been nothing. I think I'll take it out and check this evening. Not sure why he wasn't able to make it out?

 

[WVduckchick]

I don't think the pipped egg has survived. I could see movement until about 5am this morning but since then there has been nothing. I think I'll take it out and check this evening. Not sure why he wasn't able to make it out?

They also rest alot during the period between pip and zip. More patience testing. The longest one I had was around 42 hours, but I don't think any have been less than 24.

Do you have more eggs in there? And now I can't remember, so forgive me if this is redundant, but did you stagger setting? I mean did you start these eggs on different days? If you cranked up the humidity for the early ones, it could explain these later ones taking longer.

 

[lj2016]

Yes I've staggered the setting as our pekin lays daily (well actually she's suddenly stopped but I am assuming maybe it's the change in weather). Ideally I'd like to store the eggs for 6-7 days and then put a batch in the incubator, and continue this way in batches. That way on day 25 I can move the batch to the hatcher and bump the humidity as you are supposed to on day 28. I think you are totally right this is what is causing my problems. The issue I have is storing the eggs at the right temperature prior to incubation. I've read that the optimum temperature is about 40-60F, but I live in Florida so its far to hot outside, I have no cool basement/cupboard/garage and the house is set to about 75F. I've looked for a mini fridge but can't seem to find any that will let me actually set a temperature of say 50F. I wondered if maybe a cheap incubator would allow me to set a lower temp and use this as storage, any ideas? My pekin is a bad mum so she won't sit on the eggs any time soon unfortunately and my blue swedish have yet to start laying.

This fella pipped I am sure way over 2 days ago so I think he's lost. Shall i take him out and candle or leave him through the night just in case? It's so hard to decide which option is best as I'm inexperienced. He made the hole bigger yesterday evening and throughout the night I could see his beak coming in and out of the hole but since about 5am this morning I have seen no movement at all and no response to light or noise

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes I've staggered the setting as our pekin lays daily (well actually she's suddenly stopped but I am assuming maybe it's the change in weather). Ideally I'd like to store the eggs for 6-7 days and then put a batch in the incubator, and continue this way in batches. That way on day 25 I can move the batch to the hatcher and bump the humidity as you are supposed to on day 28. I think you are totally right this is what is causing my problems. The issue I have is storing the eggs at the right temperature prior to incubation. I've read that the optimum temperature is about 40-60F, but I live in Florida so its far to hot outside, I have no cool basement/cupboard/garage and the house is set to about 75F. I've looked for a mini fridge but can't seem to find any that will let me actually set a temperature of say 50F. I wondered if maybe a cheap incubator would allow me to set a lower temp and use this as storage, any ideas? My pekin is a bad mum so she won't sit on the eggs any time soon unfortunately and my blue swedish have yet to start laying.

This fella pipped I am sure way over 2 days ago so I think he's lost. Shall i take him out and candle or leave him through the night just in case? It's so hard to decide which option is best as I'm inexperienced. He made the hole bigger yesterday evening and throughout the night I could see his beak coming in and out of the hole but since about 5am this morning I have seen no movement at all and no response to light or noise

Any update on the little fella??

As far as egg storage... 40-60 may be optimal (so "they" say), but if you could put them in a dark closet, even with the house around 75, a closet would be fine. I store mine on the kitchen counter and don't have any problems. You don't want them getting extremely hot or extremely cold, but room temperature is not going to cause much damage. A closet will help them lose less moisture while they are waiting, with less air flowing around them, and temperature fluctuations. Put them in a carton, and stick a block or something under one end. Each time you add an egg, swap the block to the other end to shift them a bit.

 

[lj2016]

He didn't make it it's such a shame he pipped and made a hole but never made it out. I'll try what you suggested by storing them in a cupboard, thanks. I think with batches we can control humidity much better. MY peking hasnt laid in days so I may not have any more eggs anyway