Indian Runner Ducks hatching problems, please advise!

[Mummyduck]

Hi, I'm new to this but I have been doing lots of research in preparation for hatching 6 runner ducks and I know the members of this forum give great advice. I now have a problem with my runner ducks. It's day 31. One duckling has hatched and is happy, energetic and healthy and is now in the brooder. Another duckling sadly died overnight as it hatched with it's yolk still attached.

I have one duckling who pipped last night and has just made a hole. It is cheeping and still pushing and I don't know whether to help it or not I am guessing not, but it doesn't seem to be progressing too much. The humidity is high - 70 - 80% and I have lightly sprayed the membrane with warm water to prevent it from drying out. Seeing as the one born yesterday hatched without having absorbed it's yolk I am hesitant to help this one in case it hasn't absorbed it's yolk either.

The other problem I have is that I have an egg that was moving slightly when I candled but hadn't pipped. I researched this problem and read that it may help to make a hole in the shell by the airsack, which I have done.I only did this because the ducks are hatching so late. However, the duckling is covered in a membrane and I can't see it's beak or head and I am assuming it is the wrong way round and hadn't even internally pipped yet. I am really worried about this one. I am leaving it alone but misting to prevent the membrane from drying. I know this is a bit of an essay but any helpful guidance would be greatly greatly appreciated, so that my other little runner duck has siblings! Thankyou.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Even with as few as five eggs I can have a three day difference between the first and last to hatch with my runners. Keeping the membranes wet is the best thing to do so they can continue to move around. Movement is important to stimulate the absorption of the yolk and blood from the veins.

I often have then hatching from the wrong end. Since you have opened the incubator anyway- if you hold the egg to your ear- you may be able to hear some tapping on the shell. When they are backwards they can take longer to hatch- sometimes as much as two days more than the others. Dont be afraid to help if you feel you need to- but just be very cautious. You can take off some of the shell- but avoid tearing the membrane at all as you can risk causing a bleed if there is still blood in the veins.

 

[FenDruadin]

The one that has pipped is probably not ready. My Indian runner eggs generally take between 24 and 36 hours after pipping to make any further progress, and can take as much as three days from pip to hatch. As long as it seems healthy and active, I wouldn't worry just yet. Are its nostrils clear of gunk? They should be fairly dry. If you're seeing foam or excessive moisture around the bill, then it may be in distress. Otherwise, I would let it be for now.

Sorry for your trouble. Were your incubator temps rather low? I actually find that smaller hatches tend to spread out longer than larger hatches. I think in larger hatches, the slow ones hear their siblings making a racket and it encourages them to hurry up so they don't get left behind. In slower hatches they just don't have the same incentive to pick up the pace.

I hope you get at least a couple more. I think patience is probably your best bet at this point. Good luck!

 

[Mummyduck]

Hi both,

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I will leave the pipped duckling as it is for now - it is definitely very chirpy and moving about. I can't quite see the beak yet but I will watch out for any abnormalities - thanks for that advice. The temperature has been at about 37.5 degrees but perhaps taking out the other one and moving it cooled the incubator a bit. The humidity quickly picked up after a spritz of water and has remained high. I am quite worried about the other one, I think perhaps I shouldn't have removed a bit of shell because if it hadn't even internally pipped then I guess it wouldn't need the air and probably would have died in the shell anyway. I had a listen the one time I took it out and there is no tapping or cheeping. That one is barely moving at all now but I will continue to keep it's membrane moist and hope for the best. The other one came out no problem, on the due date and is a feisty little thing!

Thanks again for your advice. It has put my mind at rest for now.

 

[FenDruadin]

I don't think you've done too much harm by putting a hole in the shell. I've accidentally dented shells in the air cell area (one quite badly--it was smashed down almost all the way to the membrane) and in both cases the babies got out perfectly fine (one was a duck, one a quail). In fact, they hatched faster than their hatch mates.

You're doing fine. Keep us updated!

 

[Mummyduck]

Just an update for you - I just watched the duck that had pipped hatch all by itself!!!

(with a little bit of vocal encouragement from me and the other duckling!) So we have 2 little runner ducklings! This one seems a bit weak and it has something pink under it's tail and quite a bit of membrane trailing - I don't think it's the yolk because I saw what that looked like with the one that died overnight and this is different. Is this normal? Will the duckling in the brooder be ok with this little one being placed in there when he has fluffed up a bit?!

I really don't think the other one has made it, there is no movement and I can't make head or tail of what it is in the shell... I do think a bit of the membrane did rip because I saw a bit of blood when I peeled the shell but I stopped when I saw the bleeding. I will leave it in there overnight but I am pretty sure it has died along with the other one that didn't even pip.

This is my first time hatching ducks and I have done so much research hoping to get it right, it's so sad when they die right at the end. Thanks for your advice.

 

[FenDruadin]

Congrats! That's terrific that you have two now. Isn't it amazing to watch them do it all alone? It's not *normal* to have stuff trailing, or the little pink spot, but it's not alarming either. It happens often--very often--after a more-than-usually difficult hatch, and in late hatches, etc. And it's almost never a problem. If stuff is still trailing, grab some sharp sanitized scissors (just hot water will do the trick) and cut it off half an inch from the baby's belly. The danger is that the baby might trip on it and pull on its fresh belly button. The red/pink area will decrease in size and heal over in time--it's just the belly button not completely healed.

Congrats, and good luck!

 

[Mummyduck]

Thankyou very much for your advice! Phew!!! I will cut it off. It's so good to be able to ask for advice and I really appreciate your answers. As it is a little weak I have boiled an egg and will feed it a little yolk and hopefully it can join it's brother/sister soon! It is amazing to watch it hatch, I am very proud of this little one for it's determination. Thanks.

 

[Runnerparents]

That's so wonderful for you...

We have 2 batches of hope to be hatched Runner Ducks... #1 Incubator (Hova-Bator) 4 Indian Runner Ducks, they went into Lock down on the 5th April... we saw the eggs move slightly, we are now the 7th April, and can hear faint cheeping... if all has gone well they were to be hatching for the 8th April (I understand things could be different)... we candled from 7 day > 20th day and all looked good veins embryo, then eyes, and movement, then to just seeing the air cell... as I say day 25 we locked down....

I am trying to be so patient, and we have not disturbed the incubator (before we locked down we filled #1 & #2 channels and I also put to soaked (boiled to make sure they were good) sponges the sponges were soaked in warm water (hand warm)... the temperature in the incubator/s have been holding 99.5 all the time till day 25, then I lowered to 98.5 and it has been holding there from April 5th till today... I am nervous (not quite as nervous with my 3 children's births, but somewhat like that :/ I am not sure what I can do now, the movement i.e the egg movement is small now and I heard earlier today (around an hour ago) faint cheeping)... should I just continue to be patient and see what happens tomorrow...

Thanks so much for any advice and just being there (we have 3 lovely runners, a male and 2 females and these are potentially their offspring) I so want these guys to make it...? this will be our 1st attempt...

Incubator #2 has another 10 in there, but these started later than the 1st 4 (due to laying cycles etc...)

Any help so much appreciated...

Adrian.

 

[ultamitattitude]

humidity too high . i have a sportsman cabinet incubator and they hatch great with 55% to 60% humidity