PLEASE HELP! My Muscovy egg is trying to internally pip. Should I put him in lockdown?

[AmyA248]

Hi!

My Muscovy egg is trying to internally pip. He has not broken through the embryo yet but he’s really trying.
Problem is, I have staggered ages in my incubator and chicken eggs that were not planned on in my other incubator.

Can I put my chicken eggs in with my duck eggs so I can put this baby in lockdown?
We have been holding our breath for him, he’s the only one that got to this point!

Please help!

Thank you so much!!!
Amy

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

@SilverBirds

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

@Miss Lydia
@nuthatched
@Isadora
@Canadian Wind

Apologies if I tagged you and it was not your specialty... New babies and a panicking human is sometimes urgent

 

[Canadian Wind]

Hey, if he's pipping, I wouldn't do anything except raise the humidity to avoid getting shrink-wrapped.

How do you know there's an internal pip? Can you post a pic? No, it won't hurt the baby to take the egg out of the incubator for a few moments.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@AmyA248 this is not my specialty since my muscovy are my incubators, I just wanted to say don't get in a hurry and jump in to help. Ducklings are extremely slow at hatching.

Best wishes for a great hatch.

 

[AmyA248]

Hey, if he's pipping, I wouldn't do anything except raise the humidity to avoid getting shrink-wrapped.

How do you know there's an internal pip? Can you post a pic? No, it won't hurt the baby to take the egg out of the incubator for a few moments.

Hi!

My apologies, he has not internally pipped. He’s working on it though.
I was told to put Muscovy eggs in lockdown at day 30. Today is day 34.
Every single article I read says something different regarding the temperature and humidity of lockdown and it’s really confusing.
Muscovy eggs take between 34 - 37 days to hatch so I’m told.
This is the only one who made it to hatch time and I’m a nervous wreck!!
My girl has been laying since January 23rd! This is her first clutch and she didn’t go broody.
So I have staggered ages in my incubator.
I’ve lost the most at day 14 -18 for a reason I don’t know. I lowered the humidity and they seem to be doing better.
I’m still a novice and have only hatched an abandoned batch of Wood duck eggs with the care and concern of this great group!!
I candled the 34 day old egg this morning and he’s really trying to get into his air sac!
I wish I could post a video of what he’s doing but he’s really trying hard!
I have the temperature at 99.5 degrees and the humidity at 65% but I don’t know if that’s correct because I’m being told 75%, 70%, 65% and 60%, and I desperate to know the CORRECT humidity.
I’ll post some photos, too bad we can’t post videos, or maybe I just don’t know how. I tried to upload one from YouTube and Facebook but it’s not working for me.

Thank you for your help!
Kindly,
Amy

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I have 3 newborn Kahki Campbells in the coop with their mom... I don't know anything about humidity levels on a machine, but having seen her I suspect the reason you are seeing conflicting info is that there is latitude in the levels. Humidity is based on how wet her feathers are, if she is in straw or a different bedding, the different time of year... Climate in her area...

The reason your others didn't hatch may just be because she is new to laying and the eggs are not all 'just so'. (Were the ducks too closely related maybe? A bird with certain genetic issues will not hatch.) It may not be about the humidity levels or anything you could have done differently (feeling guilty is not necessary if you are not deliberately hurting someone or something, in that case only learning is required)

 

[Canadian Wind]

Baby seems to be doing fine and right on time. I know what you mean about being a nervous wreck, I was too with my duck eggs and I ended up losing all of them, either before or after hatch. I've learned (at least with my chicken eggs!) to not sweat the small stuff. It may be a bit different if I try ducks again, lol!

Tagging @New duck mommy 2021 as she is by far the best to walk you through things, imo, but I would say you're doing fine. Have the humidity between 70-75%.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

To post video, upload to a different site and then make a link.

 

[Canadian Wind]

To post video, upload to a different site and then make a link.

How did you manage to get mom off the eggs? LOL

Wonderful little video.

Oh, and @AmyA248 don't forget that ducks take a while to hatch, sometimes as long as 48 hours after the EXTERNAL pip! That really messes with the minds of us new (and some of the old) hatchers!