New to ducklings! Need help

[MGG]

Another fail... since its my first set of ducks, some are set to hatch within a day or two of one another (was too excited and popped them in instead of gathering and waiting to put in at the same time) There are 4 more I believe.. except one has a REALLY dark spot on the shell. I think its gone

Ah, staggered hatches. They definitely complicate things, but really aren't too difficult either. I've done a lot of staggered hatches, honestly the majority of my hatches end up being staggered hatches.
Just keep an eye on them. Try to pull the ducklings about an hour after they hatch so they don't poop on the other eggs or bump them around too badly.
Just try not to open the incubator unless necessary or to pull a duckling. You want to try to keep it as humid as possible in there.
Can you get a mist bottle and fill it with filtered water, then mist in there after any time you open it? This helps raise humidity a lot. Just don't directly mist and eggs or ducklings. A fine mist on the trays and sides of the incubator is best.

 

[MGG]

One more question with pic... here is the duckling pipping the wrong side. Still moving around and pokes its beak out. No chirps yet. He seems stuck! They are HUGE eggs.
The one next to it has pipped but the correct end.

I would just leave it. A lot of times they can hatch just fine from that end. It's not a big deal either, haha. Some of them just get disoriented and pip the wrong side. As long as they can turn to zip them usually do ok. How long has he been externally pipped?

 

[DaniellyB]

I saw that, it looks like a Little Giant? Those are decent incubators so that's good.
As I mentioned earlier, those readers are usually wayyy off and can't be relied on at all. Mine has a built-in reader too. The temperature reader is three degrees off, which makes a MAJOR difference in incubation, and the built-in hygrometer is over 20% off. I don't even look at it because it's so ridiculously off. This is why at least one separate, calibrated thermometer and a salt tested hygrometer are necessary. It's very easy to calibrate them yourself and will make all the difference in incubation.
So before hatching again be sure to get one, it's the most important thing there is to having a successful hatch. Unfortunately it's frequently overlooked though because the factory set thermometers that are built in to the incubators are just thought to be correct when in reality it would be almost impossible to find one that is really, truly accurate.

Thank you soooo very much! I will be looking into that ASAP!

So far the two hatched are doing great. It's pretty remarkable how much they change in such a little amount of time.

 

[DaniellyB]

Ah, staggered hatches. They definitely complicate things, but really aren't too difficult either. I've done a lot of staggered hatches, honestly the majority of my hatches end up being staggered hatches.
Just keep an eye on them. Try to pull the ducklings about an hour after they hatch so they don't poop on the other eggs or bump them around too badly.
Just try not to open the incubator unless necessary or to pull a duckling. You want to try to keep it as humid as possible in there.
Can you get a mist bottle and fill it with filtered water, then mist in there after any time you open it? This helps raise humidity a lot. Just don't directly mist and eggs or ducklings. A fine mist on the trays and sides of the incubator is best.

Yes I can do that because unfortunately there will be some times I'll have to open it.

 

[DaniellyB]

I would just leave it. A lot of times they can hatch just fine from that end. It's not a big deal either, haha. Some of them just get disoriented and pip the wrong side. As long as they can turn to zip them usually do ok. How long has he been externally pipped?

The one who pipped on the wrong end did not make it I knew I should have helped him more. I feel awful...

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, Welcome to BYC! thanks for joining. You have a lot of good information already been given by others. Good luck.

 

[AfiafiAfi]

Hi,

 

[007Sean]

Howdy Welcome to Backyard Chickens. Enjoy your time here!

 

[Grandmas Coop]

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us