New to hatching - just looking for advice/reassurance!

[cheezenkwackers]

Chickens hatch at 21, ducks 28. Don’t drown them in humidity! I believe an internal pip is when they break the membrane into the air sac, not just wiggling. Ducks take days to hatch. It will kill you but you need to sit on your hands and stop fiddling with them. I was given the same advice my last hatch and it turned out to be my best one.

 

[Ms Biddy]

It's them pushing on the membrane.

Well, that's a relief!

 

[Hollyelliott]

Eggs usually hatch at 21 days. Increase the humidity to 80% and let nature do the rest.

These are duck eggs.

 

[Hollyelliott]

So now we’re on day 22, I haven’t touched them since my routine candling last night and seeing the image/s. I just popped them in hopefully the right position. As it says turn until day 25, do I do this now or not? Ideal humidity with this happening?
Just shocked me to see what I saw! When I rewatch the video I took, it does look like a beak pushing along the membrane but not actually through.

 

[Hollyelliott]

Hi All,
After my panic the other day!, I continued to check the eggs once an evening, and both appeared to be pushing at the membrane rather than actually pipped through. So I kept doing everything the same, humidity maintained at approx. 45%, temp steady at 37.5 degrees and turned 5 times a day.
Well, I just got up this morning (start of day 24), checked the temp/humidity and turned them, and as I replaced the egg it peeped at me!!!
Based on this, I have gone into lockdown, upping the humidity, which is now hanging around the 71% mark.
Is this the right thing, and was I OK to turn them this morning! I haven't messed with their position have I?
It blew my mind!!!! This tiny little being in there reacting and making the cutest sound!!!
I better get things setup ready.
Thanks!
Liz

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

If you heard it peep, then its definitely thru the membrane into the air cell now, so yes, keep the humidity up. You can stop turning now, it's most important in the early days anyway. I stop several days before hatch if I see them getting into position early.
The lowest dip of the air cell should be aimed up.

Now the duckling can breathe in the air cell for about a day. If air cells are small, it will likely break the shell sooner. But then it can take another day, even 2, before it fully hatches. Ducks like to poke the shell several times before starting to zip, so don't be alarmed to see multiple pips without progress.

It does look like they will hatch before 28 days, so I suspect your temps are a little high, just not high enough to be fatal. With smaller air cells, the babies may hatch very wet and bloated, so I would suggest some type of liner on the floor of the Bator, like rubber shelf liner, for navel protection in case they aren't completely closed up.

Good luck! Please keep us posted.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Hollyelliott]

WVduckchick - thank you so much for replying!

As they're a bit early, I was a little worried about going into lockdown because I could hear/see only 1 egg peeping/wobbling and not the other. But on candling last night, both were pushing at the membrane to the air cell like crazy, so they both seemed (to me, anyway) to be about ready/similar.

Temp wise - I had 3 thermometers in, and the one I would call most accurate was stable at about 37.5 degrees, with only the slightest fluctuation, although I didn't calibrate as others have mentioned, so maybe I did something wrong there

In the bottom of the incubator there's a thin foam-type mat (it came with it) so hopefully this is OK.

I'm so anxious and excited!!! It completely floored me to hear that little voice in there this morning!

I have posted the pics from candling last night, and they were both really pushing at the membrane to the air cell!

 

[Hollyelliott]

I had nothing happen until last night, when I noticed the first slight crack on the saddle shaped air cell egg just before I went to bed! The other egg had nothing happening. This morning, lots of wobbling and peeping from both eggs, and the crack on saddle egg is bigger/wider, and the other one also has a peak with a smaller crack. Both right at the top/front of the egg, so hopefully in the right place! I assume that they can get air with such a small crack? Every so often there's some major wobbling and peeping, but seemingly no more crack/further development. Temp is 37.3 and humidity is 64%.
If I read correctly, this is the bit that takes time, and I'm hoping this speed is OK and normal! It actually seems like one wobbles and peeps, then straight after the other one does it, like they're communicating!