Help please!

[ann3ma5cott0]

Hey so I found three abandoned duck eggs in my back yard (that were for sure abandoned) I need some help now though! The were moving a couple days ago but now they are not moving anymore and today is day 27/28 depending on how you count the days! There is no sound coming from the and I am turning up the heat and humidity. I know there are ducks in there! When can I crack a hole to help them breathe, they haven't cracked their air cell yet and I'm so nervous epically because they aren't moving. What is happening!? And do they need help?! And can I save them!?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hey so I found three abandoned duck eggs in my back yard (that were for sure abandoned) I need some help now though! The were moving a couple days ago but now they are not moving anymore and today is day 27/28 depending on how you count the days! There is no sound coming from the and I am turning up the heat and humidity. I know there are ducks in there! When can I crack a hole to help them breathe, they haven't cracked their air cell yet and I'm so nervous epically because they aren't moving. What is happening!? And do they need help?! And can I save them!?

Generally the last couple days you don't see much movement because there's not much room to move and they are getting ready to hatch. I don't ever advise "going in after" a chick/duck that hasn't pipped. Biggest reason being that you are more likely to harm and kill a bird that would have hatched on it's own. After the pip the bird still has to rest and wait for the vascular system between the egg and bird to shut down. Any attempt to pull them from their shell before this has happened almost always ends in the bird "bleeding out" from the severed vascular system. I'm one of those that is more than willing to help if I feel it's needed or I think I can save one, but not before they have pipped and been pipped for at least over 12 more likely 18 hours. Beside the vascular system, some birds are still absorbing yolk between pip and zip and you want to make sure you don't interfere with that process either.

In all reality, yes, some birds never pip and never make it out. It's quite sad to see a baby get that far and not finish. We all deal with it at some point, most usually at least once in every hatch. But the flip side is attempting to help may take away the chance a bird has to hatch.

 

[ann3ma5cott0]

when should i be really concerned that the ducks are not hatching????

 

[AmyLynn2374]

when should i be really concerned that the ducks are not hatching????

Most ducks hatch at around 28 days if the temps are consistant and adequate. If they are going to hatch I would at least expect to see/hear an internal pip within the next 24-48 hours. Do you have any idea what kind of duck they are?

 

[ann3ma5cott0]

they are Mallard ducks, and I'm just starting to get worried because it does not look like they are coming to the air shell.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

they are Mallard ducks, and I'm just starting to get worried because it does not look like they are coming to the air shell.

I hatch chicks. I had a couple in the last hatch I did I was sure weren't going to make it. All the others were hatched or pipped and they still had not internal pipped. They did. And then they externally pipped before the last of my other pippers had zipped and they zipped before a couple others who had pipped long before them...lol So, it's hard to judge. Until they pip we are truely at the hands of nature.

 

[ann3ma5cott0]

what is pip? =peeping? and what is zipping? what should I do on the 16th? should I remove them or wait until day 35???

 

[AmyLynn2374]

what is pip? =peeping? and what is zipping? what should I do on the 16th? should I remove them or wait until day 35???

An internal pip is when the bird pokes through to the air cell. When you hear peeping/cheeping from inside the egg you know they have internally pipped and are learning to breath and strengthening their lungs. When they externally pip is when they put a hole/crack/bump in the shell as they start to peck at the shell. After (usually many many hours) they pip they will start "zipping" to get out of the shell. The pip hole will start expanding around the egg and they will start pushing to get out of the egg. How long you give them is up to you. I personally wouldn't give them much longer than 3 days after the expected hatch day.

 

[ann3ma5cott0]

Thank you so much, you have been so helpful. and so trying to give them a water test right now would be pointless right?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you so much, you have been so helpful. and so trying to give them a water test right now would be pointless right?

I wouldn't say it would be pointless. I'm not a big fan of the float test, but if they aren't pipped, it won't hurt them.