Should I be worried about my hatching eggs- 3 ducklings

[X3Jack930]

Just like Christmas with presents. Only they are fuzzy...

Yes!!! You have no idea how proud I am!! I did this on the drop of a dime with no prior knowledge or preparation (mama duck got taken by a fox). I constructed a cardboard box “still air” bator lined with tin foil, a shallow bowl of water, a sanitary pad, no wet bulb, fluctuating temperatures, a meat thermometer and had no idea how old they were! I’ve put countless hours Into research and asked so many questions. I have been so nervous, stressed out and worried since 04-06-2020 being a first time Hatcher with absolutely ZERO experience and all of the tragic stories I read about incubating eggs making it to internal pip and died just prior to or after, externally pipping but passing prior to the full zipping, even hatching but passing afterward and even deformities, etc. So fingers crossed my other 9 babies have a successful hatch

 

[X3Jack930]

Just like Christmas with presents. Only they are fuzzy...

As of 10pm tonight- I have 1 hatched, 6 external pippers, 2 internal and 1 working on the internal pip! They were all still moving, peeping and going strong!!!

 

[JaeG]

Yes!!! You have no idea how proud I am!! I did this on the drop of a dime with no prior knowledge or preparation (mama duck got taken by a fox). I constructed a cardboard box “still air” bator lined with tin foil, a shallow bowl of water, a sanitary pad, no wet bulb, fluctuating temperatures, a meat thermometer and had no idea how old they were! I’ve put countless hours Into research and asked so many questions. I have been so nervous, stressed out and worried since 04-06-2020 being a first time Hatcher with absolutely ZERO experience and all of the tragic stories I read about incubating eggs making it to internal pip and died just prior to or after, externally pipping but passing prior to the full zipping, even hatching but passing afterward and even deformities, etc. So fingers crossed my other 9 babies have a successful hatch

You have done extremely well and your hatched baby is adorable. Your babies are probably a bit hardier being from wild stock too. I was reading a study where they found that wild ducks incubate their eggs at a slightly lower temperature than we would set them at which helps the babies be hardier and feather faster.

I went ahead and gave my other 3 eggs safety holes because I didn't want to keep opening the incubator to check on them. I've still only got one externally pipped but it sounds like Muscovy are the slow pokes of the duck world. From what I've read they don't unzip until they've been externally pipped for at least 36 hours.

The one that has externally pipped does not like it when I shine the torch at it (my cheap incubator is not easy to see into with hazy plastic as well as a grill over the fan in the lid to see past). It rocks indignantly.

Hopefully we will see some action tomorrow. Or the next day!

 

[X3Jack930]

You have done extremely well and your hatched baby is adorable. Your babies are probably a bit hardier being from wild stock too. I was reading a study where they found that wild ducks incubate their eggs at a slightly lower temperature than we would set them at which helps the babies be hardier and feather faster.

I went ahead and gave my other 3 eggs safety holes because I didn't want to keep opening the incubator to check on them. I've still only got one externally pipped but it sounds like Muscovy are the slow pokes of the duck world. From what I've read they don't unzip until they've been externally pipped for at least 36 hours.

The one that has externally pipped does not like it when I shine the torch at it (my cheap incubator is not easy to see into with hazy plastic as well as a grill over the fan in the lid to see past). It rocks indignantly.

Hopefully we will see some action tomorrow. Or the next day!

Thank you & thank you!!! Yes- I thought naturally they’d have lower temps- honestly my temps were low and high, High and low- there was no constant. I constantly opened this little vent I made or covered with a blanket, or closed the vent or took the blanket off- I did mist them once a day though and gave them a cooling off period 1-2 times daily too! Based upon the hatch time of my 1st egg (the safety hole baby!! She did it all by herself!!) I would have had them in the bator 22/28 days. Mama had them for the first 6 days of their incubation period, I had them the rest! My second Baby hatched! My third is hatching now- I have 3 more to hatch- 2 more to externally pip and 1 to internally pip (she’s behind- but still moving & alive)!

I opened my fake bator a million times-couldn’t help not checking on them- I keep doing it- I just mist the sides of the bator when I’m done. OMGosh and I’ve been going crazy, thinking I’m waiting forever for a hatch!! Luckily I have ten at different paces so it’s actually not been to bad- I’ve gotten action like every 6 hours or so! Muscovy’s- are they easy or harder to hatch? I know ducks in general are difficult. Haha- at least you have a REAL incubator!!! When I shined the light during candling they move- I think it actually encourages them- they know someone’s waiting!! As soon as I talk to the external pippers they peep at me, make their external pips larger and rock the eggs back and forth too!! I feel like they know someone’s waiting for them!

Let me know how your hatch is going, if there’s any progression or anything when you get this message!! Can’t wait to hear back from you!

 

[X3Jack930]

@JaeG @AgnesGray 3 hatchers!!! They’re on a roll

 

[Aidanhall92]

They are adorable! Reading your story is incredible, well done for getting them to this point!!

 

[X3Jack930]

They are adorable! Reading your story is incredible, well done for getting them to this point!!

Thank you so much!!! I’m so excited I honestly didn’t think I’d get past a few days but thought- at least I tried, but then day after day candling they were all still moving and growing and I can’t believe it!!!!!! I read multiple posts from people who had years and years experience hatching chicks and had multiple issues hatching the duck eggs, so I can’t believe I made it this far and have 3 happy, healthy, strong ducklings that hatched in perfect order from there internal pips!! 7 more to go!!! I have 4 more externally pipped! Two internally pipped and one that’s still moving around and working on the internal pip

Are you hatching anything right now?!

 

[Aidanhall92]

Well done you! That is brilliant! You must be so excited for the rest to hatch!

I currently have 4 pekin ducks in the incubator, one externally pipped this morning and Im just waiting on the other 3. Its so stressful!! Haha

 

[X3Jack930]

Well done you! That is brilliant! You must be so excited for the rest to hatch!

I currently have 4 pekin ducks in the incubator, one externally pipped this morning and Im just waiting on the other 3. Its so stressful!! Haha

Thank you! I’m absolutely ecstatic

Thats awesome! I can sympathize! Sending “good hatching vibes” your way!! (Someone from BYC posted”good hatching vibes” to my page and it sounded so cute, so I thought I’d keep it going!)

I have my last egg that still need to internally pip- I just candled and her air sac drew even larger since last night’s candle! I find it so strange that she’s so behind.. My first internal pippers were midnight 04-26-202, over two days ago! Everyone else is already internally pipped and #4 & #5 are on their way to hatching anytime now! This is so odd to me- but she’s still moving?!

 

[X3Jack930]

Well done you! That is brilliant! You must be so excited for the rest to hatch!

I currently have 4 pekin ducks in the incubator, one externally pipped this morning and Im just waiting on the other 3. Its so stressful!! Haha

Are you hatching your penkin ducks for pets or for the eggs and meat? I didn’t find out until recently you can actually eat duck eggs! I’m not opposed to the idea.. I just initially figured they would be pets, and didn’t know I could do anything else since they weren’t chicks/chickens!