Help!! The membrane looks like it's drying out!!!

[khaylock]

Ok so first time hatching ducks. Have two. Today is day 28. One externally pipped this morning at around 3 am. Now it is almost 7pm and it has made no progress. The membrane looks thick like paper and dry. Humidity is 79%. What do I do? I have two eggs and the one that hasn't externally pipped yet is pecking but nothing else. Do I just leave it? Is this normal? This hatching business is turning me into a crazy person hahaha

 

[khaylock]

I can hear tapping and tapping and tapping but nothing is happening :-(

 

[Datacross]

I've never personally hatched, but have read others experiences of it taking up to 30-35 hours sometimes for them to complete the process. They also say to hydrate the membrane using Vaseline or something of that sort.

Again, I've never personally done it

 

[Amiga]

I wonder if water would be better than something oily like vaseline.

@dotknott
@learycow
@WVduckchick
@Lacrystol
@sourland
@duckyfromoz
@Scovy Momma

There is a hatching thread, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/978237/she-said-he-said-whos-right-whos-wrong-no-one/34700

You may be able to find someone there, too.

And there is a sticky on hatching waterfowl. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

 

[Datacross]

No, once the water evaporates it dehydrated whatever it was on even worse

 

[dotknott]

24-36 hrs from pip to unzip isn't uncommon. 9am puts you at 30 hrs. As long as there's movement/breathing things are generally okay. Candle if you need to. But try to wait until 9 (30 hrs) or 3pm (36 hrs) before assisting.

Vaseline is definitely better than water for this. Water will evaporate and leave the membrane in worse shape than it is now.

 

[Lacrystol]

WHAT happened here? Did he hatch???