Muscovies day 31 with early pip...please help!

[tink0602]

I already took the second vent plug out last night when I closed it after noticing the pip. Should I put it back in? I thought I was supposed to take it out once there was an external pip to increase circulation???

 

[tink0602]

Just an update -

Today is day 32. It has been about 36 or so hours since first one pipped and no zipping yet.

Two more pipped yesterday afternoon (2 or 3ish?) and this morning we are up to 6 total pips out of 8. I can hear lots of tapping and peeping. One of the pippers has actually poked a little hole and there are a few small pieces of shell on the incubator floor. It pipped on the underside of the egg, though, but still in the air cell. Is that okay? Should I try to move it a little with a straw or something? I know they rest while they are absorbing the yolk before they hatch, but I am getting so nervous about pipper #1 because I discovered the pip when the incubator was open. I don't think there is anything I can do right now, but hope and pray for the best since opening the bator would compromise my other pipping babies.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Wow thats exciting! I don't think you need to be worried about the first, I had a whole clutch hatch out by themselves, outside in the open because of snake problems which interfered and basically turned my duck off the nest last minute

I just kept giving them warmed heat packs and ended up with a nest full of fluffy ducklings I had to look after!

 

[tink0602]

I haven't been able to post, because I had to work all night last night (and am supposed to be sleeping now LOL)...but 3 of them hatched before I went to work and 2 more have hatched this morning.

Three more we are waiting on - one in zipping process now and moving, one with big pip that is moving, and one that hasn't done anything yet...I have not given up hope on this one yet, though. All of them seemed to have hatched a little early. They weren't supposed to be born until this weekend according to my calculations. I am sitting on my hands so I don't open up the bator to scoop out the baby duckies. They are all sleeping in a little pile. I can wait 24 hours before I have to take them out, right?