Should I pop the tops? (Hatching question, opinions please!)

[FenDruadin]

I have Indian Runners hatching (in cartons) this weekend, and it's going great. However, there are three eggs that have been fully zipped for at least 8 hours--probably longer. They have not popped out, and I'm worried it's because several ducklings spent the entire night sleeping on top of them (and are still sometimes sleeping on top of them). Is it possible that all the weight on top of them while trying to push out would cause them trouble in popping that top? Should I wait longer, or give them a hand? Or should I wait until the next time I open the bator to take out ducklings--in about six hours--and pop the tops off at that point? Or should I just leave them alone?

I know there are those who never help, and I understand totally the reasons for that. I am not a "never help" person, so I will help if it seems to me the potential benefit outweighs the risk. I am especially likely to help if it seems to me that some external cause has led to the trouble, rather than something internal to the bird--so, in this case, the other ducklings sleeping on top of them while they were fully zipped.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[duckluck]

Ya got my vote to pop 'em. I had one Call egg like that that I popped yesterday, and good thing I did...the membrane had gotten leathery and that duckling would never have gotten out. I had to take a scissors to it to open it. Once open, that guy was out in a minute, he was all fully ready and just hoping for help...he was out and running, literally!

 

[ChickenCrazed]

If he has zipped, my bet he is ready to come on out...I vote to help him out also!

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

I am not against helping when needed by any means. I vote to let them be for a while longer though. The reason being, if they have fully zipped the shell they will be able to breath fine and the possibility exists that they are still absorbing yolk and or blood from the membrane which is why they are waiting. If you try to help them out they can bleed- possibly to death. I would give it another couple hours and if by that time, very cautiously proceed. Make sure to listen and moniter them though. If it seems like they are not peeping at all or making any sort of movement (make sure to listen and watch for a little while in case they are just resting) I would help sooner as well. Good luck and keep us posted!!!!

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks, guys!! I did it. Actually, there were about four that had been slept on all night, and they all were acting stuck, so I took all four out and quickly popped their tops. Just as you described, duckluck, they were ready to go--very strong and ready to run. And the membranes were tough, and the feathers were stuck to the membrane. The humidity has been perfect in there all along, so I really think it was being slept on all night that caused the problem--the four with the problem were all in that corner where the sleeping took place.

Sooo... I think I am going to start removing ducklings every few hours instead of once a day, and placing them into a separate "recovery" brooder with nothing but a soft towel and heat, until they are strong enough to join the rest of the crowd. I'm hopeful this will reduce incidents like today's.

Thanks so much for the feedback. I think you're right, and that it was the right decision.

 

[FenDruadin]

Hey Nayana--we were posting at the same time! I do VERY much appreciate your input too. I know there is such a fine line between helping and jumping the gun. I am also usually the voice saying, "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." This time I do think it was right to go ahead and do it. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks it's best to have patience!

 

[ChickenCrazed]

I really think in instances like this you have to assess the situation and go with your gut...I have waited and lost babies...I have also lost some to helping too soon...But for the most part I have had more successes than losses...So happy the little guys are out and thriving!...Enjoy!

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

I am glad it worked out! I think the big kicker was that they had zipped the whole way themselves

I had humidity problems after opening the bator prior to realizing I had a pip and although all my other eggs hatched out fine on their own the one that pipped first was stuck and couldn't really zip. I ended up helping it after a full 3 days from initial pip, assuming since all the others had hatched it should be ready and although it didn't bleed with me zipping it and the membrane was dry but when it pushed its way out (back in the bator) there was a decent amount of blood and I FREAKED!!!!!

I thought I had killed it. All is fine today and the baby is happy, healthy and very very stinky as usual, lol. So it worked out well but it was such a horrible feeling going to bed wondering if it was gonna make it. I am so glad your babies are out and happy

I swear my birds will be the death of me, I guess thats ok cause other than my kids they are the life of me as well

 

[duckluck]

Glad to hear it worked out! My experience with zipping has been that when you have almost a full escape hatch zipped, they're pretty ready...they will have been kicking and jerking enough to have that yolk pretty well absorbed. I popped the top and put him back in with his shell on...I can usually look down the front of the duckling into the shell and see if there is any yolk left. But they can absorb that in a matter of minutes; I haven't had any pop out of a half-shell with yolks hanging, just little bits of junk if they are starting to get sticky. The occasional duckling will happen with a rather protruded umbilical whether you help or not, but that too can go down in a matter of minutes to hours. What I have seen is that you have to be careful when the escape hatch is zipped but the membrane does not appear to be broken anywhere, such as the case was here with this one egg/duckling I am talking about...you don't want them to suffocate in there. Just always be sure to sterilize your tools before cutting or tearing in case you do draw any blood by mistake. So far though what I have seen is, when they have been pipping and zipping at an area of membrane, the blood moves back out of that area...kind of like they are pinching it out by their pecking, which they probably are, and they are probably sucking the blood into their bodies with the effort of hatching. When opening an egg with a live bird inside, the area where the membrane loses the blood first and the area where the vessels shrink down first is where the bill is located and trying to pip.