New and Nervous!! HELP please

[Hopin4raon]

Akrnaf2, you have no idea how much I need that!

I have been a nervous wreck!

 

[Pyxis]

Ducks are very slow hatchers. There's a good chance they won't start making any more progress until they have been externally pipped for 24 to 48 hours. They'll test your patience

 

[Hopin4raon]

UPDATE:
4th duckling pipped!! The ducky with the bloody spot in shell (duck #2) has made its pip slightly larger. And I heard a CHEEP!!

1st and 3rd ducks to pip still haven’t made any progress at all.

Duck 1- 22hr since pip
Duck 2- 20hr since pip, some progress & rocking
Duck 3- 14hr since pip
Duck 4- 4hr since pip

 

[Hopin4raon]

Ducks are very slow hatchers. There's a good chance they won't start making any more progress until they have been internally pipped for 24 to 48 hours. They'll test your patience

Thank you so much!! I had no idea it would take so long and I kept reading where some people were saying they would run out of air and die. I was starting to panic a little!

I was really considering helping open up the one that externally pipped but hasn’t progressed in 22hrs. Should I give it a while longer?

 

[Pyxis]

Thank you so much!! I had no idea it would take so long and I kept reading where some people were saying they would run out of air and die. I was starting to panic a little!

I was really considering helping open up the one that externally pipped but hasn’t progressed in 22hrs. Should I give it a while longer?

Yep, let that one have more time. Wait at the very least 24 hours, maybe even 30.

The only way they could run out of air is if they internally pip but never externally pip. When they've been internally pipped for 24 hours with no progress, I put a tiny safety hole in the air cell so they can get air, just in case. But once they're externally pipped, they have access to fresh air and won't suffocate.

 

[Hopin4raon]

Okay well.... it’s been almost 31hrs since the first pip. I don’t believe it’s made any progress that I can see. I think I’m just going to put a little hole in the pip to make sure the duck can breathe.

The pip just looks like a bulge. I’m not sure if it’s getting any air through there.

I’ll give an update as soon as I’ve checked on them and put the small hole.

 

[Hopin4raon]

UPDATE:
What a relief!

Everyone has internally pipped!! All 10! And they are all moving and alive.

5 of the ten have externally pipped

2 of those 5 MIGHT be starting to zip. Their hole looks a lot longer so I’m thinking that’s the zip I’m looking for.

Both of my zip ducks I can see their beaks through the hole and they look good! And the one that had blood is SUPER vocal now that it can see me.

I went on ahead and put a small pin hole for everyone to breathe because I don’t want to open the incubator again if I can help it.

The membrane isn’t damp at all... kind of papery, but it is white- not tan or brown. Is that ok or is it supposed to be damp?

 

[oregonkat]

Great!! The membrane should be white and papery. This makes it easy for the chick to rip through. Good Luck with the hatch!!

 

[Hopin4raon]

UPDATE:
Day 27

I have a baby duck!!
It is the most precious thing ever!

It seriously just hatched 10 minutes ago and it’s walking around the bator pecking on everyone else’s eggs and cheeping like crazy! This was the one I was concerned about having blood in the shell yesterday. So happy it’s ok!

The other 4 that pipped haven’t made any more progress, but the one that just hatched hadn’t made any progress when I checked around 9:30 and by 10:15 it had arrived!

 

[Hopin4raon]

Just wanted to really quick say thank you to everyone that has given me advice and answered all my questions. Without you guys I’m sure I would have torn apart the shell to *rescue* the duckling hours and hours ago and probably killed the baby in the process. I just can’t believe how long it takes ducks to hatch.

Seriously you guys have been fantastic! Thanks for all the help.

So far nothing new to report, but I will keep updating with any progress and questions!