Late Stage Duck Egg Incubation Questions and Issues!

[cursocale]

Hi there,

I am having some incubation issues and questions. I've had ducks for years, but this is the first time I've tried incubating. Long story short, I ended up with 4 eggs in the 'bator, all due at different times. One seemed healthy and big from day one and has hatched and is currently sat sleeping in the crook of my arm This one hatched on 1st Jan (was due 2nd).

The three remainders are due:

2 on 4th-6th Jan

1 on 8th Jan

All of them have veins still visible at the pointy end of the egg, plus a small gap where there is nothing. I've never seen this before at this stage of development - they have always filled the whole egg. All seem to be developing well otherwise, all moving and one already internally pipping. I have put them all in lockdown now and will wait and see - but I'm curious as to why there is still space at the pointy end of the egg? Obviously they are smaller than they should be, but does that mean they are unlikely to hatch?

My temps may have been a degree too low, which I believe makes ducklings develop slower and take longer... but with one pipping - it looks like they will be on time if they make it. Movement and growth has been consistent in all three eggs, so I know they are alive at this stage.

Finally the last egg does look to be behind on development - still moving and growing though. Also the air sac is much smaller than it should be (around a Day 12/14 size). Is there anything I can do at this late stage to try and make that sac bigger?

I reluctantly had/have to use the same incubator to hatch these four due to the small one I bought specifically for hatching being wildly unreliable (temps would fluctuate 4 or 5 degrees and I couldn't get stable humidity). So the three eggs have just had three days of higher humidity than normal and now I'm particularly worried about that last egg going through another lockdown to hatch the next two.

I did have a thought that maybe I could put the last egg under a towel in the brooder under the heat lamp with my duckling for a few days and mist the egg? That is assuming that I can create a stable temperature and an OK humidity level for it. The humidity would be lower and I think that might be a lot better than going through another lockdown. It definitely doe not look ready to hatch in 4 days!

What would you do? Any advice or input welcome

Cheers,

Christina.

 

[gimmie birdies]

If it is clear at the tips, don't fret they may still hatch, but will take longer to hatch.

With chickens if the tip is clear/light shows through at 16 days then you have the same problem.

 

[chickens really]

@WVduckchick
She can help you...

 

[WVduckchick]

Congrats on the first hatcher!

I think if it were me, I'd wait for those 2 middle ones to hatch, then check the final egg again. If the air cell still seems small, I'd drop the humidity back down for a day or two, even until internal pip. Then crank it back up. If it looks really small, you could even try wiping the egg with a lightly dampened sponge, to remove some of the bloom. This should allow more moisture to escape the egg while the humidity is down.

As far as the clear in the pointy end.... it could fill up before hatch, or it could hatch with a little extra goo, which can make the duckling a little sticky. If so, be sure its eyes and bill and nares are clear. The rest it should preen off by itself.

Good luck, please keep us posted!

 

[cursocale]

Thanks everyone! I left everyone in the incy. The first one has externally pipped and was very active earlier but seems to be resting now. The second one is internally pipping, but seems much weaker.

I did pop out the third egg to candle quickly and it is very fluid in there and now looks to have died

I'll leave them all in and give an update in the morning.

 

[cursocale]

All looking the same here.... The first one is much less active but is moving a little and peeping. It pipped sometime yesterday - between 24 and 12 hours ago - while I was at work. If no change within the next 8 hours, I will lend a small hand.

 

[WVduckchick]

All looking the same here.... The first one is much less active but is moving a little and peeping. It pipped sometime yesterday - between 24 and 12 hours ago - while I was at work. If no change within the next 8 hours, I will lend a small hand.

It's not uncommon for ducks to take 40-48 hours from external pip. If you assist, go very slow. Don't rush it, especially with delayed hatching.
Good luck!

 

[cursocale]

It's not uncommon for ducks to take 40-48 hours from external pip. If you assist, go very slow. Don't rush it, especially with delayed hatching.
Good luck!

Thanks I wouldn't say I am experienced, but have helped a few out now and I only ever do a very small intervention, and only when gut feel tells me it will help

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks I wouldn't say I am experienced, but have helped a few out now and I only ever do a very small intervention, and only when gut feel tells me it will help

Awesome. Gut is usually a good guide.
And i apologize, we've seen alot of rushed hatches lately, and i do understand how hard it is to wait. So i was just making sure you are cautious.

 

[cursocale]

I understand, I am very cautious and only make the smallest holes. It is so hard to wait though! The one that just hatched was really strong but I also ended up helping him out because I felt my humidity was off and he was really struggling to get through the membrane. After I made a hole through the membrane where his beak was, he zipped within half an hour and exploded out! I kinda feel it's our duty to take a bit of extra care of them when we grow them in such artificial conditions as an incubator....