Please help. Duck eggs day 28.

[Fulltimemom]

Hello. I have been incubating some duck eggs and it is day 28. It looks like only a few have internally pipped but not externally. I made them all safety holes yesterday morning because I thought from peoples pictures that they had internally pipped. It most have just been the shadows of them trying. It seems like there is less movement and activity in many of them . I am worried Im losing them. There are two that definitely internally pipped and are moving, I can see with flashlight through safety hole without opening incubator. Should I open incubator and assist. Is it common to go past 28 days with duck eggs. Mom is khaki Campbell and dad is Orpington I believe. One egg has a small brown line where air sac meets duck.
Thank you!!

 

[Quarterhorses1]

Hello. I have been incubating some duck eggs and it is day 28. It looks like only a few have internally pipped but not externally. I made them all safety holes yesterday morning because I thought from peoples pictures that they had internally pipped. It most have just been the shadows of them trying. It seems like there is less movement and activity in many of them . I am worried Im losing them. There are two that definitely internally pipped and are moving, I can see with flashlight through safety hole without opening incubator. Should I open incubator and assist. Is it common to go past 28 days with duck eggs. Mom is khaki Campbell and dad is Orpington I believe. One egg has a small brown line where air sac meets duck.
Thank you!!

I would open the hole up a bit more one one egg tgat has little movement and see what’s going on. But obviously be careful if you do. Other than that, I have no clue. Day 29 or 30 doesn’t seem too bizzare, but with safety holes , I’d open one

 

[Fulltimemom]

I would open the hole up a bit more one one egg tgat has little movement and see what’s going on. But obviously be careful if you do. Other than that, I have no clue. Day 29 or 30 doesn’t seem too bizzare, but with safety holes , I’d open one

I'm seeing a beak and nails . They just look super tangled up and stuck like the eggis too small for them...

 

[Quarterhorses1]

I'm seeing a beak and nails . They just look super tangled up and stuck like the eggis too small for them...

I would assist now

 

[Fulltimemom]

I would assist now

I started to help one out and I got about a third to a half of the way there and the membrane started to get a little bit bloody. I soon as I got to any blood I stopped. Should I continue?

 

[Quarterhorses1]

I started to help one out and I got about a third to a half of the way there and the membrane started to get a little bit bloody. I soon as I got to any blood I stopped. Should I continue?

Can you post a pic? Do you see movement?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I soon as I got to any blood I stopped. Should I continue?

If there is blood please stop. Seeing blood means it’s not ready. All blood needs to be absorbed alomg with the yolk before it’s ready to hatch. Waterfowl take much longer than chicken eggs sometimes up to 48+ from external pip to hatch.

These are an informative read ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching.64660/

 

[Fulltimemom]

Can you post a pic? Do you see movement?

Had to run out to an appointment. Will update with pictures as soon as I get home.
It was breathing and almost looked like it was licking?? But eyes were closed and it seems very tired.

 

[Quarterhorses1]

Had to run out to an appointment. Will update with pictures as soon as I get home.
It was breathing and almost looked like it was licking?? But eyes were closed and it seems very tired.

Ok, if you hit blood I would stop. Don’t continue until there’s no blood and the baby is still in the egg trying to get out

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Had to run out to an appointment. Will update with pictures as soon as I get home.
It was breathing and almost looked like it was licking?? But eyes were closed and it seems very tired.

Those are signs that it is still absorbing the yolk. Blood means stop it will bleed out if you continue. Being tired is normal. Hatching is a lot of work and since ducks walk shortly after hatching that struggle to hatch is what builds their muscles. Seemingly like there is no room is also normal. Is this your first time incubating duck eggs and did you have a pre-calibrated thermometer in the inchbator?