On the fence about starting to assist...

[fieldandfaithhomesteading]

Our G1 egg due to hatch 5/2 never hatched, and when I just checked it, was dead Our H2 egg due to hatch yesterday (same as our healthy duckling that hatched this morning)shows no external pipping signs. I checked it and can hear tapping, and when I looked I can see the bill and a shadow in the air cell. I don't remember seeing that last night but I know I noticed it this morning. I don't want to assist and wind up harming it, but I also don't want to wait. When should I pull the trigger to do a safety hole - and if that is needed, how do I even do that and where?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Isaac 0

 

[Isaac 0]

Do you have an idea of how long the duckling has been internally pipped? Rarely do safety holes cause problems if done correctly. Take a sharp screw or brad point drill bit, position the screw on the air cell end of the egg (Directly on the end of the air cell, not the side) slowly start twisting back and forth until the tip of the screw enters the egg, do not widen the hole further or you risk premature drying out of the membrane, done, you have yourself a safety hole.

This is a great guide to go by.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Conan]

Do you have an idea of how long the duckling has been internally pipped? Rarely do safety holes cause problems if done correctly. Take a sharp screw or brad point drill bit, position the screw on the air cell end of the egg (Directly on the end of the air cell, not the side) slowly start twisting back and forth until the tip of the screw enters the egg, do not widen the hole further or you risk premature drying out of the membrane, done, you have yourself a safety hole.

This is a great guide to go by.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Couldn't agree more. Read that article about 5 times before hatching calls. Immensely helpful, and spot on.

 

[fieldandfaithhomesteading]

@Isaac 0 Thank you so much. I vaguely remember seeing the internal pip late last night - like late. Bc I had just checked on the survived duckling that was externally pipping. Should I give it until morning or just safety hole before bed?

 

[Isaac 0]

@Isaac 0 Thank you so much. I vaguely remember seeing the internal pip late last night - like late. Bc I had just checked on the survived duckling that was externally pipping. Should I give it until morning or just safety hole before bed?

If the air cell was quite big when you candled, you could probably wait till morning, if it was on the smaller side I would put one in tonight.

 

[fieldandfaithhomesteading]

@Isaac 0 You are fabulous. Thank you so much for your help with this!

 

[Isaac 0]

You're are most certainly welcome! I know it may be hard to remember the size of the air cell, so I wanted to add. If it's been around 12 hours after the pip putting one in would do no harm. Maybe practice drilling a safety hole on some undeveloped eggs first so you can get the hang of it.

 

[fieldandfaithhomesteading]

You're are most certainly welcome! I know it may be hard to remember the size of the air cell, so I wanted to add. If it's been around 12 hours after the pip putting one in would do no harm. Maybe practice drilling a safety hole on some undeveloped eggs first so you can get the hang of it.

This is what I see

 

[Isaac 0]

It looks pretty big to me in the photo, up to you if you want to put one in. Personally, I would, lots of my calls have died due to suffocating in the aircell, but I'm not sure what breed you are hatching.