Need an Answer to Question About Hatching Ducks Quickly

[Haunted55]

Today is the day my mallard duck eggs are supposed to hatch. Right now I can hear one of them peeping inside the egg. There is no pipping yet at all and the peeping is pretty loud, it can be heard outside the incubator into the next room. Is this normal? I have never run across this before but this is only the second time I've tried to hatch ducks. I thought they couldn't do that until they were out in the air.

What do I do if anything? I would really like to save these babies if I can, as they belong to a duck I just lost, but I don't want to start messing around if this is normal.

Yesterday I found one with the bill just barely sticking out of the shell and it had died. I really have no idead why. It looked almost as if it just couldn't do anymore.

 

[DuckLady]

First thing is to not open the incubator. And make sure your humidity is not below what it should be. They need the humidity to hatch.

Helping a duck out is your own decision. But if they just started the hatch today, I wouldn't consider helping until at least tomorrow, if at all. They need time to absorb the yolk and helping too soon can more problems.

 

[Haunted55]

First thing is to not open the incubator. And make sure your humidity is not below what it should be. They need the humidity to hatch.

Helping a duck out is your own decision. But if they just started the hatch today, I wouldn't consider helping until at least tomorrow, if at all. They need time to absorb the yolk and helping too soon can more problems.

I did open it because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I also misted the eggs with warm water hoping this would help. Is this normal?

As for more problems, yes I know. You do it too soon and they'll bleed and die. I don't want that, but I also don't want one to suffocate either.

 

[keyt1969]

It's completely normal to hear very loud peeps from inside the egg. I've even had it where the incubator was in the back bedroom and I could hear them with the door closed and the tv on.

I NEVER open the incubator til at least the 30th day. That's how the one got stuck while hatching.

 

[JumpingDucks]

Here's a pair I helped - they made it but the stronger one had spraddled legs. He seemed to help the other along but it as pretty dicey there for a bit.


Another time I had the temperature just a bit too low and the humidity a bit too high. I lost everyone. It was horrible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's a pair I helped - they made it but the stronger one had spraddled legs. He seemed to help the other along but it as pretty dicey there for a bit.


Another time I had the temperature just a bit too low and the humidity a bit too high. I lost everyone. It was horrible.

Precious ducklings what breed? and

 

[Miss Lydia]

I did open it because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I also misted the eggs with warm water hoping this would help. Is this normal?

As for more problems, yes I know. You do it too soon and they'll bleed and die. I don't want that, but I also don't want one to suffocate either.

Ducklings can take up to 36 hrs to hatch.

 

[JumpingDucks]

Precious ducklings what breed? and

Blue Swedish

 

[new2ducks]

With my males being frisky...my one female...Sahara...was sitting on her eggs. We were gone for a week so the woman who fed and watered the ducks didn't get the eggs so she had been sitting on them. I noticed that the males were protective of her and when she went to eat or just stretch her legs one of the males sat on the eggs. I didn't know the males would do that. I did get the eggs out of there just because of our colder nights now and the season change I really didn't want to have to worry about eggs hatching in october and trying to keep the babies warm. Of course my husband has said no more ducks...ya never know in the spring...lol

 

[Haunted55]

It's completely normal to hear very loud peeps from inside the egg. I've even had it where the incubator was in the back bedroom and I could hear them with the door closed and the tv on.

I NEVER open the incubator til at least the 30th day. That's how the one got stuck while hatching.

Exactly! Boy am I glad I'm not the only one! I couldn't believe I was hearing the little bum. He/she is now out of the egg!!!! All by themselves too. I am soo very happy about that! When I do open the incubator, I always, always have a spray bottle of very warm water and mist the bottom of the incubator so anything lost is made up.

Here's a pair I helped - they made it but the stronger one had spraddled legs. He seemed to help the other along but it as pretty dicey there for a bit.


Another time I had the temperature just a bit too low and the humidity a bit too high. I lost everyone. It was horrible.

This last Spring, I hatched some eggs for a friend. I was so totally ignorant I didn[t know ducks needed differnt temps in the incubator than chickens. Chickens hatched and died. I think his eggs were too old. The one little duck that showed ny life at all had to be helped on the 30th day. It was a very scarey thing to do. At one point I got blood. Oh Lord! I held a kleenex to the spot, like a pressure bandage and after it stopped bleeding, put the egg back. Later I went back and he had removed more shell but not enough and I knew I was running out of time. So I tried again. Slowly I was able to pip the egg completely around and he did the rest. His name became Bum-Bum, lol. When I was trying to help all I kept telling him was "you hang in there little bum -bum and we'll get you out. Silly, but it stuck. Today Bum is a very healthy and happy pekin drake. He is allowed by the geese to 'hang' with them and sleep with them as well. Funny, they tolerate the other ducks but seem to think Bum is one of their own.

Ducklings can take up to 36 hrs to hatch.

Miss Lydia, I hope it doesn't take that long! They'll have it but I sure would love to see these little guys.