Incubating duck eggs- advice pretty please.

[xx_li_xx]

These are always iffy ones... but when you opened it, you were prepared for it to already be dead, so at least it has a chance now.

Coconut oil stays looking like its wet, but it gets dry faster than Vaseline. It will look globby, are will get darker. I'd say to check it every 2 hours, and add more.
Use the soft tip of a finger, and feel around on the membrane. Everything feels soft except the beak, so if you feel a hard knot, it should be the beak. If it all feels soft, I fear the beak is at the other end.

Oh, also look around the other end for any discoloration on the shell. Sometimes wrong-enders will try to pip, and only slightly break the inner membrane, which releases a little fluid between the membranes and causes a dark bruise looking spot. So watch for that to happen too.

Thank you I will do as you say and keep checking etc. When should the veins start receding ? There quite a few that look thick then lots of little tiny ones x

 

[DuckyDonna]

I could see the bruising on my egg on the "wrong" end of the shell too when Natalie was helping me so I knew he was headed the wrong way. So as the day progressed and under her direction I knew I had to keep picking at the shell going toward that other end to get his bill out so he could breath. They don't get any air if they pip the wrong end and I guess they basically suffocate. Just go very slow and if you get any bleeding STOP!

 

[xx_li_xx]

i only had one other, the other 6 had already hatched. The last 2 had no pips at all so I actually took a scalpel and made a hole in the air cell ends of both eggs hoping to get things started. I knew they were alive.

I made enough of a hole in one that it zipped by itself but my last little guy was backward (breech) and that last picture I posted with his leg hanging out of the big hole and the other hole where you can see some blood is where I found his little head. Just go slow if you start picking. As I said, I think I put it back and forth in the incubator about 50 times so my hands could stop shaking and it could rest.

Thank you for replying.
I’m just so nervous about my other 7 ... honestly my husband has said I’m not allowed to do this again in a hurry as I’m so invested and emotional haha. I’m literally terrified now that I will loose them. In my head I’m seeing them shrink wrapped already.

The little one is still alive though and all other babies I can see moving so fingers crossed x

 

[DuckyDonna]

well, good, doesn't sound like yours is backwards! Just do what Natalie says and leave it be and don't let it dry out.

 

[xx_li_xx]

I will do- right now I’m not touching until I work out if this other bit is his leg or bill because quite frankly I just can’t tell. One minute I think leg , the next I think bill so I’ve decided for now, I will wait x

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thank you for replying.
I’m just so nervous about my other 7 ... honestly my husband has said I’m not allowed to do this again in a hurry as I’m so invested and emotional haha. I’m literally terrified now that I will loose them. In my head I’m seeing them shrink wrapped already.

The little one is still alive though and all other babies I can see moving so fingers crossed x

I don't think your other ones are going to be affected. I am not one that worries about opening the incubator and usually, my spring hatches are very good. Just relax and wait which is the hardest part. You're just going to have to deal with the coconut oil but think of all that you've learned!

 

[Slash3]

If you feel it's struggling to breathe, next time you moisten the membrane try to feel (gently) for the bill. If you find it make a very small hole so it can push it's bill out. It's amazing the strength a bit more oxygen can give them. Only do this if you think it's really struggling though. And keep clear of veins!

 

[xx_li_xx]

If you feel it's struggling to breath, next time you moisten the membrane try to feel (gently) for the bill. If you find it make a very small hole so it can push it's bill out. It's amazing the strength a bit more oxygen can give them. Only do this if you think it's really struggling though. And keep clear of veins!

If the bill is where we are debating, there is a big vein over it.
I’m going to be checking it again shortly and using the coconut oil again so I will have a feel.
I just hate opening this incubator x

 

[Slash3]

Well I'm going to bed shortly, been awake since 3:30am with a poorly duck. Looking forward to some good news when I wake up!! Best of luck xx

 

[xx_li_xx]

Okay so we moistened his membrane more and felt for bill. That is definitely two legs ... I chipped the shell away and well chipped probably way to much away before deciding I wasn’t finding his bill - yolk is completely I absorbed looking at it - all red veins and hardly any movement - I believe he is upside down and maybe dying slowly?