How long should a zip take? Is 6+ hrs too long?

[KingNoodle]

Hi,
My duck egg externally pipped about 36 hours ago and about 6-7 hours ago it became much more vocal and i have heard tapping against the shell since then, so i think this is when it started to try and zip. I'm not too sure of the time but sometime in the last four hours it has made another crack on its shell next to its first pip. Both cracks are not very big and just look like the star pattern but don't seem to go far though/ have a large hole. Is this the normal amount of time? I've read that it is supposed to be quicker to zip once started but i know the internet isn't always trustworthy. Is there anything i can do to make it easier to break out, i read somewhen rubbing it lightly with a warm towel can help, is this right or are there other things?
I appreciate any advise i get, thanks

 

[KingNoodle]

I have a lot of chicks that take a full 24 hours (or close to it) to zip. Often they are very vocal and active when they make the external pip, then go quiet and take a long rest before finishing the job. It can be nerve-wracking to wait, but if they have successfully pipped externally they have access to air and will not be in harm's way for quite a long time.

Okay, thank you, just wasn't too sure because of how long its been trying. Thanks for the help and quick response

 

[KingNoodle]

If you're 36 hours in, it probably won't hurt to assist if that's something you're comfortable doing. I personally like to assist more than most people here, but I don't like to recommend it because it does introduce a lot of risks and it does feel awful to inadvertently do harm.

If you decide to help, candle to make sure you're only removing shell above the air cell, and very gently remove small pieces. Once you begin to help, you may need to finish the job entirely. I will usually do the whole zip and then let the chick push out. Only do this in a warm area, and use a dampened paper towel or q-tip (or coconut oil) to gently moisten any exposed membrane. If you see active red blood vessels, it is a good idea to stop and put the egg back into the incubator. It's very important to avoid chilling or drying out the duckling.

I don't have a lot of experience with ducks, so please take all of this with a large grain of salt.

I'll take this into consideration, but it seems to be one of those situations where you tell someone one thing and suddenly it changes! In the last 20 mins it has made two more cracks so i think i will give it more time. Thank you for the instruction though and if things go downhill im sure they will be helpful

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

Glad your duckling is making progress!

 

[KingNoodle]

Glad your duckling is making progress!

Thanks for the help, as of 20 mins ago the duckling has now hatched!

 

[AlabamaMarc]

Thank you for the post and responses. This is exactly the information I was looking for.

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

I have a lot of chicks that take a full 24 hours (or close to it) to zip. Often they are very vocal and active when they make the external pip, then go quiet and take a long rest before finishing the job. It can be nerve-wracking to wait, but if they have successfully pipped externally they have access to air and will not be in harm's way for quite a long time.

 

[FlarryEyeGrey]

If you're 36 hours in, it probably won't hurt to assist if that's something you're comfortable doing. I personally like to assist more than most people here, but I don't like to recommend it because it does introduce a lot of risks and it does feel awful to inadvertently do harm.

If you decide to help, candle to make sure you're only removing shell above the air cell, and very gently remove small pieces. Once you begin to help, you may need to finish the job entirely. I will usually do the whole zip and then let the chick push out. Only do this in a warm area, and use a dampened paper towel or q-tip (or coconut oil) to gently moisten any exposed membrane. If you see active red blood vessels, it is a good idea to stop and put the egg back into the incubator. It's very important to avoid chilling or drying out the duckling.

I don't have a lot of experience with ducks, so please take all of this with a large grain of salt.