HLP Duck Eggs Peeped Seem Really Dry

[elvim]

I read alot of posts but still not comfortable...I have 11 pekin duck eggs in bator. 9 have peeps. One in perticular peeped over 24hrs ago. Some peeped a few hours later and others this past night. The membrane on all of them seems like paper. I have a Little Giant still air, turned byhand twice a day. Big questions should i help them break out, (especially the one over 24hrs), shouldi spray them with warm water and wait???

I tried helping to open the opening around, and there was no blood on theone that has tried for over 24hrs. He is also quacking away. Another one i tried, as soon as i tried to remove a small piece of shell it started bleeding, so i left it alone.

This is my first time hatching duck eggs, but not my first time hatching. I never hadthis "dry" issue with chicken eggs.

HELP PLS!

 

[tammyd57]

I'm pretty sure duck eggs need a higher humidity than chicken eggs. What humidity have you been incubating them at? You do have a hygrometer for measuring humidity, right?

 

[duckyfromoz]

I ususally see the first pip- and then it can be up to 24 hours before they do start to unzip- the fact the one did bleed a little means they havent finished absorbing the yolk either- so wont be ready to unzipp just yet. I spray my duck eggs every second or third day throughout the incubation period- and also sometimes need to spray them with a fine mist once they are in the hatcher.

If you have taken the eggs out of the bator already- you have affected the humidity in there- so I would definately recommend a spray with some water. If the humidity is low in the incubator- you could try adding a sponge soaked in water to try and increase it if the water channels are already full.

 

[elvim]

Thanks for the suggestions..I did not have a way to read humidity, but never had before and had great success with chicken eggs. I went ahead and helped the one duck that was quacking away and seemed stuck. once i unzippedthe egg all around and made a small break in the membrane he came right out. He's as dry as bone. Has some membrane stuck to him. i am going to spraythe ggs..i do have water in the bator and a sponge.

PS my baby pekin duck is not a pekin..he looks more like indian runner! Nice surprise! Wonder where that came from we only have pekin! guess they were not "pure bred"

Thanks for helping will keep posted. Ithink the rest of the egg's membranes are not as dry as this little guy. I will give them all over 24 hrs after peeping to see if i need to help again