I have a cayuga baby that has been pipped internally since Friday night. 5 of the others hatched yesterday, so I candled the rest, thinking they were all dead. Most of them were, except this one little baby. It was still moving it's bill inside the air sac. I went ahead and pipped the shell so it could get more air. That was yesterday about this same time. It has done nothing but peep occasionally since. It hasn't tried to get out or anything. I know I shouldn't have pipped the shell, but I figured if I didn't it would die, and if I did it might die, so I didn't think it would hurt. But now I don't know what to do? Do I help it the rest of the way or just leave it? I don't know if me 'helping' it might have dried it out or not. The membrane looked pretty dry when I did pip the shell. HELP!!!
stay calm I have never hatched ducks, but i am proud to say that i have become a rather accomplished at helping chickens out. so do the following 1.) Stay calm ! if you are over worried or stressed you will do more harm than good. 2.) If the membrane was dry up the humidity 3.) give it time after you bump it up a little do not rush it ! 4.) after an hour or two if it has made no progress remove a little of the shell at a time not all of it if you see blood stop immediately do not pass go do not collect $200. put it back and try again after an hour or two. 5.) wet the membrane a little to loosen it do not wet it around the beak....bill you do not want to drown it. wait repeat steps 3-5 take it Slowly best of luck -CrazyChicken
I have difficulty keeping the humidity high enough for ducks to hatch so I frequently have babies who's membrane dries before they can get out. When that happens, I do help them out if they havent made any progress after 24 hours. As Crazychicken advised, peel a little shell at a time and watch for blood. I use a Q-tip dipped in very warm water to wet the membrane. Good luck chel
