How much of a delay is normal from the first bird to hatch to the last bird?

[bibi87]

I had several ducklings that were pipping as I put them into lockdown. 4/10 hatched on days 26-27. Now it's day 28 and I'm worried the others are goners. Is it normal for the hatch to be spread over several days? How long should I wait?

Is there a way to tell if the remaining eggs are still alive? All were alive and moving when I candled a few days ago.

 

[JaeG]

Were they externally pipped or internally? I'd candle again and see what's happening with the ones you are concerned about.

I've just hatched Muscovy ducklings and I had one that never externally pipped. I made it a safety hole because it had been internally pipped for 24 hours and it wasn't peeping back at me anymore, but I could see it was still moving. It never externally pipped and 48 hours later I broke it out of its shell. It was very ready to be out of its egg, it is perfectly perfect and a right royal cutie, but I have no idea why it didn't do any of the things it was supposed to.

There's no danger in making them a safety hole if you are concerned. I had 3 others I made safety holes for so that I wasn't constantly opening the incubator to check on them (Muscovy are very quiet and my incubator fan is loud). They all hatched as they should when they were ready.

This is an excellent thread to read. It's on the goose forum but applies to ducks as well:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/

 

[bibi87]

that's a great article. thanks.

I don't see any movement when I candle. I'm thinking they died sometime in the past few days. It looks like some may have internally pipped. Some clearly have not. Shouldn't I see lots of movement close to the hatching time?

update: I opened them. All were dead. Shrink wrapped. Brown and dry. Am I correct in assuming that this is caused solely by low humidity during incubation?

 

[JaeG]

Yes, you would most likely see them moving (unless they were having a sleep?). I could see mine doing the yawning and chewing action that means they are absorbing the yolk. You'd hear the internally pipped ones peeping as well.

I'm sorry - it does seem to be the time ducklings die is in that transition to breathing on their own. I had two that died at that stage.