Pipping?

[Equimby88]

In the Brooder
So I have 16 eggs in an incubator and some of them are now on day 29 with no external pip. I can hear the duck cheeping inside and tapping on the egg so assume they have internal pipped. How long should I wait for the external pip and what do I do if they dont manage the external pip?

 

[6sablehens]

Have you candled them to check for internal pip and movement? Shrink wrapping is very common if humidity hasn’t been raised in the days before hatching, and can cause the ducklings to become stuck, preventing them from hatching, or making the process difficult.
Hoping for the best! Ducklings are so gorgeous

 

[chuckachucka]

Wait at least minimum 12 hours after you hear them peeping inside and then if there is no external pip you can carefully make a tiny safety hole in the shell over the air cell and then put them back in the incubator. Do this as fast as possible to reduce the loss of humidity. Once they have an air hole they can breathe and should be OK in there to start zipping when they are ready as long as you are sure the humidity is high enough and temp is correct.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Just in case...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/
Good luck!

 

[Equimby88]

Thanks fo reply.. the temp is 37.5 and has been all way thru incubation. Humidity was between 55 and 60% and then on day 25 I set it between 65 and 60 it seems to stay at 68 tho. I candled them at day 21 and they were a'll living. When I put them on lock down I didn't open the bator until last night at day 28 because they hadn't pipped so I was just checking what was goin on.. I did the float test and 1 sank so assumed dead? Rest floated. Dried them off and put them to my ear and could hear tapping and cheeping bit still no pipping this morning. Had another listen today and can still hear and feel tapping

 

[Equimby88]

65 and 70 not 60 lol

 

[RubyNala97]

Your humidity seems good for hatch time. Ducks can take a long time to hatch. I wait 24 hrs after an internal pip to create a TINY safety hole in the egg. I’ll post a pic. The float test is not that accurate. You’ll gain the most info from candling the eggs. I’ll post a pic of the safety hole and then of that same egg being candled so you can see the internal pip.

 

[Equimby88]

So should a candle them before making the safety hole.. I'm not sure how long it's been as I was out all day yesterday at the seaside and we didn't get home till 9. I checked them straight away and that's when I could hear them cheeping so I'm not sure how long before that so I will go from 9pm being 24 hours. They are now day 29 with no pipping I'm getting worried

 

[Equimby88]

I didn't want to really candle them again and have them out the incubator as I don't want to ruin their chances by keep opening it

 

[RubyNala97]

So should a candle them before making the safety hole.. I'm not sure how long it's been as I was out all day yesterday at the seaside and we didn't get home till 9. I checked them straight away and that's when I could hear them cheeping so I'm not sure how long before that so I will go from 9pm being 24 hours. They are now day 29 with no pipping I'm getting worried

Duck eggs take a lot of patience and all of my batches of duck eggs this year were late. Yes, I would candle them now. If you have no external pips then candling now won’t hurt. Also check the whole egg to see if you have any hidden external pips that may be at the pointy end of the egg or underneath at the bottom in the middle. Sometimes they can get positioned wrong and pip in random places.