How long is too long?

[Crayonsmom]

I hope it's ok if I post a duck hatching question here. It didn't seem to fit into the duck board.

I noticed three of the eggs we have in the incubator started hatching yesterday. One had a small hole in the egg, the other had a smaller hole, and the other was barely cracked. Today I can see all of their little duckie bills and some little duckie feathers in there. the holes in each egg have gotten larger. But I don't see much zipping - or any attempts to get out at all - going on. They're just kind of sitting there peeping.

I haven't hatched any eggs in the incubator in about two years, because our ducks started sitting on their own outside. I don't really remember how long it should take them, but I remember my ducks getting out of their eggs a lot quicker (or at least it seems like they did). I did add some water and some wet paper towels to keep the humidity up, but now I'm wondering how long I should wait before I should decide that there's something wrong? They all seem fine for now. One is a real chatterbox and the other's are quieter, but they all move if I go over there. I just want to be able to tell if they're doing ok..

Here is a short video of how they look right now:

 

[sumi]

Ducklings can take up to 2 days to hatch after pipping, so don't worry yet. If they haven't made progress by tomorrow I'd consider helping, but it sounds like they are doing o.k. so far.

 

[Crayonsmom]

Thanks! that's good to know. I think all of my other self-hatched ducks took less than a day to hatch, so I was getting worried. But I'll keep an eye on these three and see what they look like tomorrow. I don't want to have to help them because I know it's good for them to get out themselves, but I don't want to let them die either. Hopefully they'll be out soon!

 

[sumi]

Hopefully! Sometimes ducklings can be nerve wrecking to hatch. I've noticed with mine, some were fairly quick and others took forever to get going, but in the end they all hatched and were fine. The key to hatching them is patience and lots of it. If you get worried go do something for an hour or more, just come back and check on them now and then, see how the humidity's doing etc. The actual zipping and hatching phase could take awhile also, so chances are you'll get plenty warning and you won't miss the best bit, watching them hatch.

 

[Crayonsmom]

Ok, here's an update:

One of them didn't make it. I think there was a bit of membrane stuck over a nostril because I noticed him/her seemed to be breathing open-mouthed. I don't know why I didn't step in at that point and now I feel awful because when I checked again the little one had passed away. The best way I can think of it is that s/he may not have made it in nature either if that had happened.

The one that had made the most progress yesterday just got out of the shell and is drying off.

The third one that had the least progress yesterday has only expanded the hole in the egg a little bit, and it doesn't look like any zipping has happened. This duckling also has one foot up over his/her face. Is that possibly making hatching more difficult? I'm not sure if I should start doing something to help or not. I don't want to interfere too much, but I don't want a repeat of the other duckling either.

 

[Crayonsmom]

I just helped the last duck out. There was no membrane still attached or anything and there was poop in the egg, which was pretty yucky. I basically just cut the egg off and rinsed the duckling with warm water and now they're both drying in the incubator. This last duckling has one blind eye. the skin is pulled over the eye, with the "eye hole" in the skin above where the actual eye is, and if I pull that skin down gently, the eye is cloudy. This duckling is very weak and I'm worried we might lose another, but hopefully it's just really tired. There was no way it was going to get out of there on its own. I guess we'll just see what happens now.

Also, upon looking more closely, the one that died actually had some sort of bill deformity. It was either oddly indented or had an undeveloped area right where a nostril would be. It's hard to tell. but the other two seem to be doing ok; still peeping and scrambling around. I can't wait until they dry and their legs get all un-scrunched!

 

[sumi]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss

I hope the other one will be o.k.

 

[Crayonsmom]

We lost the second one shortly after I posted. There was definitely something wrong. Both eyes were pretty weird and the legs spasmed if I didn't hold them still. I had one hatch last year like that and it didn't last a day. So sad.But we are left with one pretty lively duckling and I'm hoping at least one more will hatch so it has a buddy. Last night I put that Webkinz that looks like a pink platypus in the box and the little one slept under it. lol.

I think it's safe to name him/her now. Any ideas?