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[Crazychickenlady76]

My duck eggs went into lockdown Tuesday. There cracks but that all. And 1 I can see movement in the little hole. Should I assist with the hatching?

 

[LynnaePB]

How long have those cracks been in the eggs?

I know with chicken eggs once the chick externally pips (makes that little crack in the shell) it can take up to 24 hours for it to go to the next step of zipping (which is usually much shorter and shouldn't take longer than 2 hours or so and often is done in under a half hour).

I've heard ducklings can be even slower hatchers, it can take a lot of time for the ducklings to finish absorbing their yolk and blood vessels. If you decide something is wrong and do help make sure to do it the right way, if you break some membrane at the wrong place it could rupture a blood vessel and the baby could die.

Here is a great assisted hatching article, I'd look it over, it should help to explain when help is needed or not and how to help without hurting the baby if help is necessary. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Good luck, I'm guessing your babies are just working on absorbing their yolk and blood vessels and are right where they should be, hatching can be a long process!

 

[Crazychickenlady76]

How long have those cracks been in the eggs?

I know with chicken eggs once the chick externally pips (makes that little crack in the shell) it can take up to 24 hours for it to go to the next step of zipping (which is usually much shorter and shouldn't take longer than 2 hours or so and often is done in under a half hour).

I've heard ducklings can be even slower hatchers, it can take a lot of time for the ducklings to finish absorbing their yolk and blood vessels. If you decide something is wrong and do help make sure to do it the right way, if you break some membrane at the wrong place it could rupture a blood vessel and the baby could die.

Here is a great assisted hatching article, I'd look it over, it should help to explain when help is needed or not and how to help without hurting the baby if help is necessary. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Good luck, I'm guessing your babies are just working on absorbing their yolk and blood vessels and are right where they should be, hatching can be a long process!

They have been cracked for over 48 hours this is my first time hatching dug eggs

 

[LynnaePB]

Ah I see why you'd be anxious at this point, I think I've heard of ducklings taking that long before and being fine but I'd definitely read that article I linked so you can decide your next move, if done properly assisting shouldn't hurt the babies.

Good luck!!!!