Incubating/hatching eggs as school project questions

[kwack]

My daughter's school is hatching chicks and ducks - the chicks are all done and the ducks are due 4/26 (set on 3/29). As of yesterday two ducks had pipped internally. Are they early? Should I remove the auto turner and bump the humidity?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I would remove it today and bump up the humidity.

 

[Wifezilla]

Ducks can take several days from internal pip to total hatch.

 

[kwack]

School called and one egg has pipped externally so I removed the turner and added more water. The pip is a little bloody - any concerns? Should the other eggs still be manually turned through Friday as they aren't due until the 26th?

Thanks

 

[Wifezilla]

You can stop turning. A little blood is no concern. It just means it hasn't totally absorbed the yolk yet.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I would just stop turning them all now. Was the temp high during incubation? That can be why the ducklings are pipping early.

 

[cracking up]

When ducks hatch there is a lot more blood than with chickens. I thought my first duck had a problem but then they were all like that and all were good.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
With my ducklings, I hardly ever get any blood when they hatch.

It could happen if they pip early or hit a vein.

 

[cracking up]

What kind of ducks did you hatch? My runners had a nickle sized clot in the egg (maybe bigger). I don't remember it in my muscovys but I might just not have noticed.

 

[kwack]

Thanks all. I removed the turner and added another water trough. The humidity is up from 55% to 65%. These eggs are the product/s of a Welsh Harlequin female and either a Pekin or Cayuga male.