JUNE - JULY HATCH-ALONG!!!!!!!

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

View attachment 1832164

Since it is malpositioned and pipping in the wrong area, how do I know if and when I need to assist?

Wow, a pip indeed! What day of incubation is it on? Assisting is not my thing, but I think that you want this egg kept at high humidity now and on its side, pip up so you can see what’s happening. If its pip went all the way through shell and membrane it should be able to breathe. It will need to sit for a long time absorbing its yolk.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 1832164

Since it is malpositioned and pipping in the wrong area, how do I know if and when I need to assist?

Once a malpositon has pipped externally it's in much better shape than the ones that aren't able to pip. Ducks can take a very very long time to hatch so I would give it plenty of time to try hatching on it's own. As long as they can breathe, they're just fine! They've been safe in those eggs for a long time and as long as they are getting oxygen then they're ok! I hope it hatches without assistance for you!

 

[Enigmius]

Wow, a pip indeed! What day of incubation is it on? Assisting is not my thing, but I think that you want this egg kept at high humidity now and on its side, pip up so you can see what’s happening. If its pip went all the way through shell and membrane it should be able to breathe. It will need to sit for a long time absorbing its yolk.

It went in the regular incubator of 6/7/19. So this would technically be the 25th day. But this is from the first four eggs which I left outside a few days before deciding to incubate. So it might actually be a day or two older... You know, Texas is hot and humid..

I have the humidity up to 65% currently. The egg is on its side with pip up.. I hope it has enough energy to make that crack in the shell a hole, to breathe.

 

[Enigmius]

Once a malpositon has pipped externally it's in much better shape than the ones that aren't able to pip. Ducks can take a very very long time to hatch so I would give it plenty of time to try hatching on it's own. As long as they can breathe, they're just fine! They've been safe in those eggs for a long time and as long as they are getting oxygen then they're ok! I hope it hatches without assistance for you!

How do you know if they can or can't breathe?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thanks, I'm trying to figure out what the over all hatch rate was for this batch, I set 30, 3 broke, so down to 27, had 9 hatch, 18 left, 8 of which I am certain are non-fertile. Tomorrow afternoon tells the tail.. I'll be pulling the plug about 6pm. My new incubators count down says we'll be at day 24.

When I take notes for my hatch rate I find putting it in this format helps me so my eyes don't cross when I'm looking at all of my notes. lol

Hatch 7-1-19: 47% (started with 30, 11 infertile, 10 quitters, 9 live chicks)

You would of course would need to adjust it if more chicks hatch! We won't have an accurate percentage until your hatch is done!
The 3 that broke, I put under infertile because I'm not sure if you knew if they were fertilized or not and I don't count the infertile eggs in my final percentage. So as it stands right now you have 9 of 19 which is 47%. I hope more hatch for you!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

How do you know if they can or can't breathe?

Once the pip externally they do that to get more oxygen into the shell. I usually wait at this point because you never want to intervene too quickly but after several hours if you don't see progress you can pull back just those pieces of shell that it pipped in order to make sure it successfully penetrated the membrane. But I can't stress enough how important it is to wait!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

@Enigmius , this link is great for helping to walk you though assisted hatches for all poultry. Hopefully you won't need to use it but there is great information.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Enigmius]

Once the pip externally they do that to get more oxygen into the shell. I usually wait at this point because you never want to intervene too quickly but after several hours if you don't see progress you can pull back just those pieces of shell that it pipped in order to make sure it successfully penetrated the membrane. But I can't stress enough how important it is to wait!

Ok. I have a job interview to go to in the next hour. I took a close up photo to compare when I get back in a few hours.
I will wait, and hope there is progress!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Ok. I have a job interview to go to in the next hour. I took a close up photo to compare when I get back in a few hours.
I will wait, and hope there is progress!

Fingers crossed for your interview and the duckling!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Ok. I have a job interview to go to in the next hour. I took a close up photo to compare when I get back in a few hours.
I will wait, and hope there is progress!

Awesome! Best of luck on the interview!!!