Long time hatching

[LilMissChz]

Okay, so my day 28 was 2 days ago. Only one egg (of five) had a slight crack, that I could see. Based on where the other pips are, it's possible there were other pips/cracks that I just couldn't see. 2 days later, today I have 4 pips, one of those is zipped and peeping... but still no one is officially hatched yet. One that looked like it's bill was sticking out has stopped progress and hasn't moved. Yes, I am nervous, but I haven't opened the incubator because my temp and humidity are perfect!!

How long does it take to hatch out duck eggs? My chicken eggs didn't take nearly as long. However, my chicken eggs also took only 21 days to incubate. Suffice to say, ducks take longer to hatch?

 

[Mum]

What breed are your duck eggs? Some breeds can take longer (Muscovey, I think?)

Even when they reach the 28 day stage (for those which take that long), it can take up to 3 days for the chicks to fully break out.

The one egg which successfully hatched from my 3 egg incubator actually hatched 2 days *before* the 28th day

and was pretty fast in getting out too!

It's a game of patience I think.

Good luck and I hope you have a duckling or two very soon!

 

[LilMissChz]

I have Saxony eggs that I purchased here from another user.

 

[Mum]

I have no experience of Saxony; perhaps PM the user and ask their advice?

 

[LilMissChz]

We finally got one. Another is progressing. One drowned and was "glued" to the floor of the incubator. Another died in the shell after pipping and the fifth is doing absolutely nothing.

 

[Mum]

Sorry to hear about your losses

But the one you have is absolutely cute overload!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry to hear about your losses

But the one you have is absolutely cute overload!

X2!! helps to make up for the ones you lost. Hope the one progressing will make it out so this one will have a buddy..

 

[Mum]

One ... was "glued" to the floor of the incubator...

That happened to one of my eggs. I only have a mini incubator and holds 3 chick eggs or 2 duck eggs (max). Once my first duckling was born, the instructions said to keep it in the incubator for the first 24hrs. This I did. But, some of the 'goo' from the duckling leaked under the 2nd egg and it stuck.

Next time I do this, I'm going to put some damp kitchen towel down under the eggs in the hope of preventing sticky-stuckness.