New to incubating eggs

[Alicia G]

Well its day 29 and Im starting to lose hope for my poor eggs. I havent seen any of the eggs with an external pip what so ever. I candled them last night and they were all moving so there still alive inside but maybe their too weak to hatch out or something.

 

[mrslb333]

What breed are they? They are probably just a bit late.

 

[Alicia G]

There from mix breed hens ( rouen mixes) and there are rouen, call, and other mixed drakes running around with them. there arent any muscovys with them. There is a wild black duck that comes to visits the hens though.

 

[Alicia G]

today I finnally hatch out some ducklind, though the feelings bitter sweet.two died before even trying to hatch out and the othe three tryed their best. I had to help alittle and removed the shell (not the membrane) and then I let nature do its thing. one of duckling gave up and was too weak to survive. the other two are still alvie be I am not gonna get my hopes up. I did alot of mistakes using an incubator and I kinda feel bad for the poor eggs in their. Well if these two do survive I ll have to post pics! thanks for all your advice guys!

 

[TheFarmMama]

Sorry to hear that...hopefully the others will still make it. If not as sad as it is at least you can learn from your mistakes for next time!

 

[iluvsedward]

I would suggest not opening the incubator. good luck and POST PICS!!

 

[Alicia G]

My two remaining ducks are out of there shells! but they both look aliittle weak and one of them keeps trying to curl back up into a ball! I noticed that both of their abdomens are a little inlarged and the 'navel' is inlarged too. They like to talk though, there chirping as loud as they can! the one that wants to curl in a ball his navel is even larger and looks like some of the cord is still attached. I hope they both make it. I also have a question a bout newly hatched birds. do they hatch out with theireyes closed? if so how long do they keep them closed?

 

[TheFarmMama]

Yay! Glad to hear they made it

As far as hatching with the eyes closed-yes, they do sometimes. Just give them a few minutes. Imagine what you'd feel like coming into a bright light from that dark little shell. Takes some getting used to. They have an enlarged abdomen because of all the yolk they just absorbed over the last few days of their developement before hatching. They'll want to curl up and sleep and all of that is completely normal. Just give them some time to rest and dry off.

 

[Alicia G]

one of my ducklings looks like its getting weaker, is there anything that I can do? and the other one has been trying to get up but it just keeps flopping around is that normal?

 

[TheFarmMama]

What is it doing that makes you think it's getting weaker? Yes, it is normal for them to flop around. They are just starting to use their muscles and feet for the first time so they are a bit clumsy and exhausted from hatching. It can take a few hours for them to get their balance and be strong enough to fully stand and walk around.