should i help my egg????

[Littleducky]

My one and only wood duck egg pipped over 24 hours ago and has made no more progress. Should I pull back some of the loose shell to help him out a little. I remember with my last hatch I had to help a couple out. I don't want to wait to long.....



What to do????

 

[toejam]

Im no expert, but me personally I would try so at least you can attempt to save it but, Im no expert.

 

[L0rraine]

But read these postings from the Incubating and Hatching section first.


To intervene or not to intervene:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=45583&p=1

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/incubation.html

has a good reference to the draw down as how it is affected by interference: Assisting the hatch is a difficult decision, and in this author's experience, many aviculturists will do more harm than good by assisting the hatch. Normally the chick will hatch 24-48 hours after drawdown has occurred. ****By making a hole in the egg shell over the air cell, the carbon dioxide level will drop, actually slowing the hatch. ********* Making a pin-hole or opening the air cell end of the egg should only be done if the vocalization level of the hatching chick is decreasing or other signs indicating that the chick is in trouble are evident (for example, if the chick does not pip into the air cell).

If intervention is necessary as a last resort:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9316

 

[alliekrpc]

About a month ago when my Muscovies were hatching, they had pipped their shells and did not make any progress for over 24 hours. I eventually decided to help the hatching process. It turns out that the membrance just under the shell had turned to a rubbery-like membrane, through which they could not progress.
I started picking away small pieces of the shell to expose the membrane, then started peeling away the outer membrane. If it looked as though they were bleeding, I would stop for several minutes to let the bleeding stop, then continue. I only had 1 chick die, although I don't think he would have made it anyways.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
Cheers
Allie

 

[loopy12]

No progress at all, or just not zipping yet?
Is the pip getting bigger at all?

I haven't hatched wood ducks, but all the ducks I've hatched seem to take 24-36 hours to go from pip to hatch, sometimes longer. I don;t know how much that varies by breed.
But, that said, the pip tends to get bigger after the first 12-24 hours I've seen zipping take 6-12 hours (totally unlike chickens).
If you can see the beak poking out of the hole then you may want to help because that suggests its not turning in its shell to zip. Those are the ones I always seem to end up helping.
Good luck!

 

[OmaBird]

Hatching is a fittness exercise for life. Only the stongest should make it. I like what Dave Holderreads says. If you need to help them. Do not use them for breeders or you will just breed more weak birds.

 

[Littleducky]

I waited 48 hours after the pip he had made no progress. I peeled the shell back from the outer membrane and he went to town. I had trouble keeping my humidity up an I believe this was the problem. For the most part he hatched him self and is doing great now. Other than the fact that he is lonely.

It is kinda cute how when ever i talk to him he chirps and comes to me like i am momma. To bad this wont keep up for long....

 

[loopy12]

Congratulations!

I agree with the survival of the fittest thing but more often than not when I have chicks/ducklings who struggle to zip its because I've messed up with humidity or opened the incubator for something...so I feel justified in helping them.
Also when you've only one precious egg of a special type its worth interfering I think...

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
I agree...there's way too many things that can go wrong with incubation due to operator/climate/machine variables. When you have humidity swings or pressure swings in the weather it can really louse up a hatch, leaving you with little choice.

I think survival of the fittest doesn't take into account when machines hatch eggs instead of live birds...