Pipping on Day 24?

[Fraoch21]

I put 7 of my duck eggs(crosses probably) in the incubator 23 1/2 days ago. One was infertile and one quit early so i was left with 5 developing normally from what ive read. On week 3 with temperature went up 1 degree for a few days and i couldnt change it as i was away but i turned it down as soon as i got back so its back at 37.5C. I just candled the eggs today to check them and they're starting to pip!! I read that higher temperature can make them hacth early but i didnt think it would be this early! Will the babies be affected by hatching early? 4 of them are pushing and squirming against the internal membrane and 1 has already internally pipped and its starting work on the shell. The humidity is at 50% and ive stopped turning them since candling. Should i lay them on their sides or leave them sitting upright? Thank you for any help!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Nature is a funny thing, our time lines are just guides for hatching. Many external factors will and can cause early hatching. Stop turning those so anxious to join you and yes laying them on their sides is a preferred method for lockdown. Good luck, it is a very long slow process from pip to zip to hatch with ducklings.

 

[Fraoch21]

Thank you! Im SO excited now

hope they'll be ok

Seems like its been the longest 24 days of my life, haha! The temperature has dropped to 36.5, do you think i should get it back up or leave it?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Try to keep it steady, and raise the humidity as you go into lockdown. 60% and up s bet, but it depends on where you live too. I typically take humidity to 70% at lockdown for our ducks & geese.

 

[Fraoch21]

Ok, ill raise it slowly over the next couple of days. The one that i thought had internally pipped isnt tapping on the shell anymore, i thought it was earlier

 

[Fraoch21]

Well all 5 are still at it, they all have made little star shaped cracks but havent really gotten much further. One has made little cracks half the way round the egg and has pushed a little bit of the shell off so i can see the membrane and it seems really dry, is it supposed to be like that? Humidity is between 60-70% and has been since the first pop, it doesnt look like any have actually made a proper hole through the membrane yet just possibly tiny ones enough to breath.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Yes, very normal. It will be fine. All my hatches have hatched 3 days late, little buggers, haha. Your so lucky to have early ones! My next hatch will be next week. I hope it goes better then the last one... Then another hatch the week after. Hhhmm, I need to set more eggs

I will be setting Rouen eggs after my next hatch I think. or I will give the bator a rest

 

[Fraoch21]

haha, phew thank goodness its normal, its so fustrating waiting and watching for days for them to get out the egg!

Bet you cant wait, im hopfully setting a mixture of hen eggs later this week, i think i would panick if mine were late

Doubt my bator will get a rest till winter now