Please help! Urgent on hatching day. Don't know what to do.

[lklascala]

I am new to hatching ducks. Today is day 28 for mallards and Indian runners. 6 hatched, but when should I start to get concerned about the others?

My newest concern: PLEASE HELP! 2 externally pipped, are cheeping, but haven't done anything in 30 hours. Humidity at lockdown is 76%. I can still hear peeping from one, and I see movement from the other, but there is blood where he pipped through. I'm afraid that they are drying out and won't be able to zip at all.

Finally, one of my runners was externally pipped, but at the narrow end, and was having trouble breathing. I helped it out early and the sac is attached. Put him in cup with moist towel over sac. 6 hours in, still breathing and moving every once in a while.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Take the wet paper towel off of him it can cause chilling and bacteria to get into that area. Just lay him in a cup with dry paper towel under him. How’s the sac looking now can you post a pic?

 

[lklascala]

It's hard to see the sac, but actually most of it absorbed. We put him on a dry paper towel and put him back in the incubator. He is very lively. However, I'm worried about the other ones in the pictures.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That little one is looking good. As for the others can you hear peeping see movement? If your worried about the membrane drying gently rub some coconut oil over to keep it moist.

 

[lklascala]

Thank you so much for your replies! I can see movement in the one that looks a little bloody. The other one with the hole, if I put it up to my ear I can hear it chirping. Should I continue to wait? Today was hatching day, but I know it can take a little longer. I just don't want them to get sticky.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wait till I get someone here to help you. Since I let my girls hatch I am not comfortable helping much with bator hatches @Isaac 0 is though.

 

[Isaac 0]

If it's only been 30ish hours since the external pip, they need to be left alone, the eggs where a large portion of the membrane is being exposed, I'd probably apply coconut oil to keep it from drying out. Give them some time, ducks are very slow hatchers.

Never yank the babies out of the shell.

 

[Knighstar679]

You can put coconut oil on the one membrane that looks like it is drying out. The other one might be ok. It can take ducklings 24-48 hours from external pip to zip. If it’s still lively I think you might be ok. If you notice it’s slowing down in its chirping then I would look at getting involved more. They have yolk to absorb. If you can see the bill if it looks like they are doing yawning or chewing motions with their bill they are still working on absorbing yolk.

 

[lklascala]

I put them to my ear. I hear chirping and crunching sounds. I'm assuming that is a good sign.
There are 5 others that we are going to candle tonight to see if there is any activity. I haven't heard anything from them. Our Indian runner is resting in his teacup in the incubator. The yolk is almost fully absorbed, he's moving his head around and trying to move, but his eyes aren't open yet. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Thank you everyone for all your help. I'll keep you updated on the candled ones after we do it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The little Runner May take more time to recover since it hatched to soon you won’t need to try food an water right off either.