Mallard Egg no sign of external pip

[somachak]

How long since you noticed the first external pip
I do think it’s breathing fast and you should be seeing some cracking
If it’s been over 48 since first external pip I would say start to take some shell in the direction they would zip
Look for veins in the inner membrane
Use coconut oil or Vaseline to wet the membrane using a q tip
Be gentle not to rip it
If no veins at all then peel more back
Continue unless you see veins then stop
And just keep membrane moist

Thank you , it’s been roughly 37 hours since the 1st pip which was around 2am on the 27th . I dearly hope it doesn’t come to it ,fingers crossed . So the dark thing vibrating in the video is the membrane and it’s moving because the duckling is breathing through it ?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thank you , it’s been roughly 37 hours since the 1st pip which was around 2am on the 27th . I dearly hope it doesn’t come to it ,fingers crossed . So the dark thing vibrating in the video is the membrane and it’s moving because the duckling is breathing through it ?

Yes that is baby breathing
It’s hard to know when is the right time to help
How big was it’s air cell ?
How long after internal to external did it take
The reason I ask
If air cell was smaller baby will external faster as the air is less but take longer from external to zip
If air cell is large baby may take longer then 24 hours to external as it has plenty of air but be faster from external to zip
Baby is pretty low down in the air cell so I’m thinking more of a smaller air cell
But that’s a guess you can see the air cell so will know better

 

[somachak]

Yes that is baby breathing
It’s hard to know when is the right time to help
How big was it’s air cell ?
How long after internal to external did it take
The reason I ask
If air cell was smaller baby will external faster as the air is less but take longer from external to zip
If air cell is large baby may take longer then 24 hours to external as it has plenty of air but be faster from external to zip
Baby is pretty low down in the air cell so I’m thinking more of a smaller air cell
But that’s a guess you can see the air cell so will know better

Right OK, so air cell was pretty big but its a small egg . And you are right the baby did take longer than 24 hours to pip externally from internal , and I was quite worried about that. But it really has made very little/ no progress since the 1st external pip ( which was 37 hrs ago) and the 2nd one that was 29 hrs ago

 

[WVduckchick]

From what I can see on the video, the membrane that looks a little brown is the outer membrane that sits just under the shell. The baby is also wrapped in an inner membrane, so we can't see what the inner membrane looks like. If its dry, or brown, or moist as it should be.
Personally, I would try to inspect under that outer membrane flap and try to see inside. Once you look under that membrane, you should be able to determine if it needs help, or if it is progressing naturally.

I'm also wondering if the egg is upside down, or if the baby is actually upside down, since it pipped down toward the floor. Can you see the beak enough to see which way it is positioned? Not that it really matters, but if it is upside down, I would roll the egg over and put the pip on top, so the baby can maybe orient itself more easily.

 

[somachak]

Thanks , let me try that, so its ok not take it out from the incubator quickly ? inspect it and put the egg back with the pip on top?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thanks , let me try that, so its ok not take it out from the incubator quickly ? inspect it and put the egg back with the pip on top?

Yes you can
When I was assisting I kept mine in the bathroom and would run the shower for a few mins to build up humidity and heat that way I could work on the eggs
But many don’t have that option and do just fine Taking it out quickly for a few mins at a time

 

[somachak]

So I went ahead and quickly took the duck out of the incubator and I had to peel out the brown outer membrane that was on the external pip , the moment I did that , I saw a little beak coming out, and peeping .

 

[somachak]

So I went ahead and quickly took the duck out of the incubator and I had to peel out the brown outer membrane that was on the external pip , the moment I did that , I saw a little beak coming out, and peeping .

 

[somachak]

I have put it back in as I heard the duckling cracking the shell while I was holding it
I think that membrane was/is restrictive to its hatching

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

We’re you able to see what the inner membrane looked like ?
In the video it’s hard to tell