Help please with first hatch

[lj2016]

7th Oct was day 28 (I made sure i didn't count the set day as 1), so they are already really late to hatch as I read pekins should be 28 days. They were moved to the hatcher on day 25. I think I've gone wrong somehow but we've not had any power failures that I'm aware of and I check often that temp and humidity is as it should be. I have 2 much clearer pics of the pipped 2 but just waiting to upload as seem to be having trouble doing this

 

[lj2016]

 

[WVduckchick]

Look like great pips to me! So the one with the bill sticking out the hole hasn't moved? Could have been developmental issues since they are so late. I'm guessing your temps were maybe a bit low. Do you have an independent and verified thermometer or are you going by the incubator setting? Those things are notoriously wrong, so I hope you had another.

At this point, I don't think you would be risking much to pull one of those out and check it for life. It may need a little help breaking that shell off.

 

[lj2016]

Yeah in both the hatcher and the incubator I have a thermometer. I'd say they disagree with the digital reads by maybe 1° roughly so that's as close as I think I'll ever get them. Shall I go ahead and take the one with the beak poking out and maybe pick off some of its shell?

 

[WVduckchick]

Seeing as they are at 48 hours now, I would say yes, pull it out and see if he is still actively moving. Look around inside the hole for any blood vessels. From looking at the fat end of the egg, start chipping away a little at a time, in a counter-clockwise direction from the pip, proceeding around the air cell. If you run into any veins, stop. You can moisten the membrane with some vaseline or antibiotic ointment with your fingertip or a q-tip to keep it moist, and put him back in the bator to see if he will progress by himself. Try to do it in a warm area with no draft. Good luck!

And take some quick pics if you can.

 

[lj2016]

Thank you - i'll give this a go shortly and let you know. Thanks for all the help

 

[WVduckchick]

Hoping for the best

 

[lj2016]

I have opened the egg which had the beak sticking out and sadly there is no movement, the duckling is definitely not alive. The air sac was intact but as i've started picking the whole top (large egg sac end) has come off. It's very sad as I can clearly see a well formed chick but its not moving at all so it isn't alive. The only thing I've noted as strange is it's almost as if there was a layer or membrane surrounding the chick and this seemed dried out. I've attached 2 pics (sorry as it's not pleasant to see the poor duckling). I read that low humidity can cause the inner membranes to dry out but my humidity has been good as I can see the water channels and they've never been low or empty. I can't understand what happened. I shall try the other egg now but I fear the result will likely be the same . . .

 

[lj2016]

The second one that had pipped is strange - the outer egg part where the pip is appears to have a gap between that and the inner sac. I've got 2 pics, not gone any further as not sure what to do but again no movement at all so fairly certain this one is dead as well I just can't figure out where I've gone wrong

 

[WVduckchick]

So sorry that they didn't make it. Its really hard to guess why, there are many possibilities, but my first guess would be a little too high on the humidity in the beginning. It tends to not let them dry out enough, and causes that goopy stuff you see in that last egg. They develop to a certain stage, but then can't dry out to hatch. They also grow too big and can't make the maneuvers to zip the shell. Looks like they were in the proper position, just drowned from not enough moisture loss. Also, the eggs are a bit dirty, so maybe some possible bacterial infection.

But keep trying! I know its disappointing, but its a learning process.