Safety Hole? Concerns

[Fosterheather]

Hello all.

I had a momma duck about 4 days ago killed by a wild animal. She had 7 eggs survive and we are down to a single one. This one.

I’ve lost 3 alone in the hatching process. I wasn’t prepared with an incubator since I had momma so I have a makeshift setup with a heat pad and wash clothes for humidity (thankfully I’m in the south and my bio use is always around 60% humidity in summer)

This particular egg seemed to pip a bit yesterday that I recall. Since then it seems to take up quite a bit of the air cell. I’m terrified to intervene because of 3 failures that left me in tears with dead ducklings.

Does this egg need a safety hole? I’m worried she will suffocate but I wonder a lot if my intervention with the others caused their death.

Sorry I’m just a bit traumatized and I don’t want to cause more harm than good.

Idk what day they are exactly, but they are very close if not to term by now

 

[Fosterheather]

Additional information. No peeping noises, just clicking sounds. No rocking that i have noticed. I see attempts at her pecking at the shell inside but no internal pip.

 

[My15Ducks]

If you hear clicking, it has probably internally pipped.

Safety holes are pretty safe and shouldn’t cause any issues as long as you make them just pin hole sized

 

[Fosterheather]

If you hear clicking, it has probably internally pipped.

Safety holes are pretty safe and shouldn’t cause any issues as long as you make them just pin hole sized

I had one die in shell after I did a small safety hole and I just wondered if that was a contributing factor to their death somehow. I told myself I wouldn’t interfere because I wonder if I just did something wrong or did things too early. I’m just worried and I don’t want to lose the last one

 

[My15Ducks]

I had one die in shell after I did a small safety hole and I just wondered if that was a contributing factor to their death somehow. I told myself I wouldn’t interfere because I wonder if I just did something wrong or did things too early. I’m just worried and I don’t want to lose the last one

Had the one you made the hole for internally pipped? As long as it’s internally pipped, no reason not to do a safety hole.

Are you able to keep the temperature around 99.5?

Any chance you can borrow an incubator for this egg?

I’ll share an article I found helpful.

 

[My15Ducks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed.491013/

 

[Fosterheather]

Had the one you made the hole for internally pipped? As long as it’s internally pipped, no reason not to do a safety hole.

Are you able to keep the temperature around 99.5?

Any chance you can borrow an incubator for this egg?

I’ll share an article I found helpful.

Yes it had, but about 12 hours later it died.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get an incubator. Even the ones online woulsnt be to us in time since momma was killed unexpectedly. I have the heat pad on low, which reads about 90-100 degrees roughly. Home is 65% humidity but I also have the cooler covered (with a crack for air) and wet rags for additional humidity

The other assisted hatched I did were 24 hrs or more after internal pip safety hole was added, then no progress for another day or so. Opened and babies didn’t make it. I think they were too early as they had veins I had to wait to recede and their yolk wasn’t fully enveloped.

It’s hard to know how far along they are because momma laid her clutch away from the area and I wasn’t precisely sure when they were laid. So I’m flying blind on top of never doing this before

 

[My15Ducks]

I would say, give it a safety hole and then wait around 48 hours to assist further.

Maybe these people can help
@New duck mommy 2021
@KathiQuacks

 

[Fosterheather]

Here are some updated photos just taken. No external pips. Still just hear the clicks and can see the duckling breathing up and down. Every so often nibbling where his beak is. He seems to be taking up quite a bit of the air cell. I have a little dot where his beak was, but you can see it in the photo as well

 

[KathiQuacks]

Yes, baby is internally pipped, or around day 25 / 26. Do a safety hole if you’d like - this will not hurt your baby. If you did it right, the babies that passed after the safety hole were not your fault.

Personally, I think after a safety hole, you should wait 24 hours and then, if there’s no progress, do a partial assist, not 48 for a full assist. It gives the baby more air, so less likely to suffocate, lets you see what’s going on properly, etc.. not a problem if you moisten the membrane.