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[shelleyd2008]

Just remember that ducks normally take 24-48 hours to hatch after pipping the shell, you don't want to hatch them too early!!

 

[BirdMom]

Thank you, Shelley! Good reminder for me. I've been sitting here practically chewing my nails trying to figure out when and if to help. These two that pipped the wrong end, though, for all their trying, they're not getting anywhere and they sound really mad!

A bunch of the others are starting to pip and peep, so we should have a mess of ducks in a day or two. Lots of scratching and tapping and peeping in there.

I'll keep a close eye on these two backward ones and give them a bit of a hand tomorrow if they need it. It's been at least 24 hours on the one, and I think around 36 on the other. I just want to make sure I don't wait too long. Or help too early or if they don't need it... They still seem strong and doing fine, so I'll wait a bit.

I can hardly wait to see what they look like! I do see dark fuzz on the first to pip, just a bit sticking out the pip.

 

[BirdMom]

Wow, Firedove, that's awful! Poor baby. So hard to know when to look, where to look, all of that.

The second one of our ducks that I saw was pipped had pipped kind of into the corner of the bator, and from the sounds last night, I know he was pipped well before I noticed him. He does have room to push his way out in the corner there, though, and while he made his pip bigger, he's in a very bad part of the egg to try and zip, and hasn't made progress. Probably will need a bit of help, but we'll see. They all sound quite strong.

Love baby duckies!

 

[BirdMom]

SillyStunt! We got ducks!

So far we've got two out. The first one needed a little help because it pipped the wrong end, I gradually zipped it, gave it a few hours, eventually opened the membrane a bit, then left it wrapped in a moist paper towel overnight. This morning, actually just a few minutes ago, it finished getting itself out. Super cute! Dark all over with a yellow bib. Then one that pipped the right end and zipped itself overnight popped out of the shell just a few minutes later, so two healthy duckies out of the shell. I'm gradually helping a third one, this one also pipped the wrong end/side. These are all the three smallest eggs, can't remember which breed you said that was from, but they're adorable! Thanks for the eggs!

Here is the first one.

 

[BirdMom]

Unfortunately that first one must have had a problem. Maybe I waited too long. He passed away a few minutes ago. He'd been doing fine, plenty active, then just slowed down, went to sleep permanently. Poor baby.

On the up side, the third duck has just popped out, and seems to be doing fine. And we have a pip on another egg, so looking good.

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
The smallest eggs were american black drake with sweedish. Hopefully some of the buffs will hatch out cause they grow up to be carmel color. CONGRATS!!!

 

[BirdMom]

I thought these were the swedish mix ones.

Yay! So far these other two that hatched today are doing great, super healthy, cuddling up to each other in the bator. No pips or zips on the other eggs though. I may candle them in a bit to see what's going on. Five eggs still haven't hatched, though I was pretty sure two of those were quitters a few days ago. Gotta check them again.

Anyway, these two babies are beautiful and seem quite healthy and strong.

 

[firedove]

Quote:
Sorry to hear about your little ducky!

I hope you get more to hatch, but at least you have 2 healthy ducklings

 

[BirdMom]

I think the other eggs have given up. I'll candle them tonight and see what's going on, but we're around day 31 or 32 now, so probably not going to be any. No sounds from them or anything, no pips.

The two that hatched and survived are now in a giant brooder box, having a blast running around and eating and drinking. They've fluffed out to a silvery color, very pretty! I did have to put "shoes" on both feet of one, and give him a band-aid to hold his legs in position due to splay leg, he's the one who was in the egg kind of sideways, but he's learning to get around great now.

 

[BirdMom]

Here they are. Can't really see the silvery color in the pics, not a great camera, but they're cute!