Now 3 call ducks pipped on day 26 - what do I do?

[hlyndes]

I have had such bad luck hatching these guys. I started with 25 eggs - 24 of them were shipped eggs. After candling - I am down to 19...today is day 26 and there are 3 that have slight pips.

Please, oh please, let them hatch!

 

[DuckyBoys]

I have some in my bator too - but this is my first time hatching anything so I'm not hoping for a whole lot. I think pipping on day 26 is good isn't it? Don't they hatch slightly early?

I'll cross my fingers for ya! Hang in there - almost done!

 

[BeckyBird]

For me, call ducks are very tough to hatch. I always help them out, which some people think is wrong. But they always turn out fine. If you want to help them, it is up to you and nobody else.

To help a call duck hatch, it is good to wait for them to pip on their own. Since yours have pipped through the shell, it means they have fresh air, and should not die. Leave them for another day, which would be day 27. If they haven't done anything after a day, it is time to help. Just take a needle, and chip away a small part of the shell. If you see blood, stop and wait a few more hours.
Basically, you will chip away the top of the egg, just like the duckling would do. Once you've gotten the top off, look inside near the babie's belly. If you see yolk, you need to put the top of the shell back on and tape it. The baby will need to absorb the yolk before he is ready to get out of the egg.

Once the yolk is absorbed, the baby can come out. You can leave him there and let him wiggle his way out, or if he is weak, you can help pull him out. The egg membranes will dry out, so keep them wet with warm water.

Make sure you don't try helping until day 27-28, when the baby would naturally be hatching. Remember, if you see blood, stop and wait a few hours. If you see yolk inside the egg, tape the top back on and wait a few hours again.

I have gotten into many arguments over this subject. Many people (mostly large scale call breeders) do not approve of helping calls hatch. My opinion is that "I" may not have been perfect with my incubating skills, and it is not the duck's fault. If the duck needs help hatching, then I will help.

Every call duck I hatched, I helped out. They all have turned out fine, and nothing bad came of helping them. I do not hatch hundreds of eggs, like breeders do. So every egg is important to me.

I will note that I do not help any other type of bird hatch, whether it be chickens, pheasants, regular ducks, geese, etc. Just call ducks. For some reason, I guess since they are special and miniature, they have a rougher time with hatching. From experience, helping them hatch does not hurt them in the long run. Some may be weak for a day after, just because they did not use their muscles for hatching. But those ones catch up just fine to the rest of the stronger ones.

If you have any questions, please ask! I will try to post some duckling photos later tonight

 

[DuckyBoys]

Thanks for all that info Becky.

 

[hlyndes]

OMG! Can you believe 1 of the pips is a super over-achiever and has hatched already! It is super vocal and zipped way through the rest of the egg - I kept thinking she was going to stop and sleep for the night or something - but she did it! I actually started them the evening before - so this counts as the beginning of the 27th day. None of the other pips have done anything else and the humidity is hovering between 65 - 70%. Is the humidity correct?

Good luck Ducky!

Thank you for the info, Becky. I have heard the same things about the calls having difficulty - I will be watching them closely!

I just hope I know what to watch for!

The new hatch is clamboring all over the place and battering the other eggs. My son is getting the brooder set up now so we can let the others hatch in peace!

 

[BeckyBird]

That is wonderful news!!! Congratulations! You are going to adore your new baby. Play with him lots, because there is nothing better than a tame call duck. He will imprint on you, and think you're Mommy!! Please show some pics if you can)

Here are a few of mine. The one with my hand is from last year's hatch, and she is still part of my flock today.

 

[hlyndes]

I will post pics as soon as we take her out. She has settled down in there and I know she will start loud peeping if I put her in the brooder alone. I hope that by morning someone else will have shown progress. Is it normal for them to start and then stop for this long with nothing changed? It has been like 5 hours? Should I 'check on them' or leave them alone until morning?

 

[DuckyBoys]

Thats great! I wish I had more advice for you - but at this point you're an expert comapred to me!

Good luck with the rest.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Pip Away! LOL - too fun. Next year, I am going to hatch ducks and chicks in my classroom! I will think of a really good academic reason....6th grade science does not cover this, but I can make it work.

In fact, I am toying with the idea of starting a 4h Club as an afterschool program. I will have to investigate it this summer....

Looked at pics of apple ducklings - they were too sweet, in fact all ducklings are too sweet! So are chicks, better stop now, my classroom and yard are only so big...

 

[BeckyBird]

It is normal for them to start pipping, then take a break. Since tomorrow is almost day 28, you could try to help them if they haven't progressed.

Linda, it is great that you want to hatch eggs in the classroom. It is a wonderful experience for the children!