It this normal?

[jenbell83]

i have duck eggs that internally pipped 2 nights ago and still no sign of anything else. i can see them move and only one has a tiny spot where it tried to start breaking the egg but that was yesterday. i candled one and it looks like its panting pretty hard. is that alright?

 

[jenbell83]

its my first bigger hatch and ive read to many things on humidity so i was torn and would only spray them every once and awhile. thats the problem with over reading to many opinions i guess. i just wanted to be prepared :'(

 

[sumi]

If they haven't pipped externally yet, candle the eggs, mark the air cell line and create an artificial pip hole above the air cell line. The safest way to do this is by taking a sharp object and scoring an X over and over until you can break through the shell, then take a pair of tweezers and carefully break off a little bit of shell to make the hole. Make sure you break through the outer membrane as well, but don't touch the inner membrane that is covering the duckling. Once you have this pip hole in place leave the ducklings for a few hours and check if they make progress from there. Good luck!

 

[jenbell83]

Ok. thank you. i made a tiny hole as close to the beak as i could. their beaks are free in there and they stopped panting..thank god! but every once in awhile a few rock their shells around and start squeeling..for lack of a better word..but like they are upset or something is wrong. a few look like the inside membrane is pretty tight. is that normal? some of it i can see the duck through and some it white. but i started seeing a few internal pip a day early. early sunday afternoon and today is tues afternoon

 

[jenbell83]

Theres different breeds in there and like 3 or 4 of the eggs are almost half the size of the others. all of the small ones and a few bigger had all pipped sunday.. my first time. but what i saw sunday afternoon was their mouths making movements like they were talking and yawning.. but i just waited till monday to lock them down so it was on schedule for them all. im just worried its been 2 days and they are still the same..except the panting. but they cant atleast breath

 

[jenbell83]

Could they be weak or having problems because of their size? ill wait till 2morow to check. but that'll be 3 days since they broke the inside membrane. i have the humidity up to 80 or 90.

 

[sumi]

How are they doing now? Have they made any progress?

 

[jenbell83]

No. i dont wanan take them outa their shell either. some are really trying to push out..but if i even see a blood vessel at all i made them stay put.but i have also seen like 2 or three that have their foot above the head. i hope thats not a really bad thing

 

[jenbell83]

i honestly think they are stuck. i dont wana pull them out until the yolk is absorbed. but i cant find anything on how to tell if they do.

 

[sumi]

It's good that you are patient with them. With ducks this hatching process can take quite awhile. I had a duckling take 4 days once, from pip to being ready to hatch finally. Talk about nerve wrecking! Just keep checking the vessels. You can remove a bit of the shell and dampen the inner membrane to give you a better view of how it's progressing. If you can figure out where their bellies are, check that area for signs of blood/yolk. Just make sure keep the membrane intact, so the ducklings don't make a run for it before they are ready to come out. If they are malpositioned in the shells they are likely going to need some help from you to get them out of there, but for now give them a bit more time. Completing the hatch is quick and easy, once the ducklings are ready. So don't worry about that