Shrink wrapped and malpositioned duckling - help!

[Tori1133]

Hi! I just made another post asking for advice in the hatching forum and I also talked to my friend who has incubated many duck eggs. She told me to open my egg up because it has a very strange air cell and hasn’t moved at all for days. I opened him up in the air cell to check on him, it looks like he is shrink wrapped and malpositioned (head is facing downwards and not into the air sack). When membrane is moistened there are a lot of veins so I don’t want to pull anything away. But also very worried because I don’t think the duckling can breathe at all like this... I am not sure what I should do at all. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated! He is still alive and looks like he is trying to breathe so I really want to save him. My friend says I should try to get him out because it is a higher risk that he will suffocate but I am very worried to touch the veins. Just want some more opinions. This is a picture of the opened egg:

 

[Isaac 0]

If you know where his bill is, you may gently make small hole so the duckling can breathe; I would not make it any bigger. For the rest of the membrane, I would moisten with either coconut oil, or mineral oil. Make sure the incubator is warm, and around 70% humidity to lessen the chance of the membrane drying.

 

[Tori1133]

If you know where his bill is, you may gently make small hole so the duckling can breathe; I would not make it any bigger. For the rest of the membrane, I would moisten with either coconut oil, or mineral oil. Make sure the incubator is warm, and around 70% humidity to lessen the chance of the membrane drying.

thank you for the answer. I am pretty sure his bill is in the bottom still covered by shell... should I attempt to make a hole on the other side? Or just leave him be. I can see the top of his head in here but I think the hill is pointed downward and also we put the coconut oil on thank you

 

[Isaac 0]

thank you for the answer. I am pretty sure his bill is in the bottom still covered by shell... should I attempt to make a hole on the other side? Or just leave him be. I can see the top of his head in here but I think the hill is pointed downward and also we put the coconut oil on thank you

If you can, I would try since it's possible for them to run out of air, especially when shrink-wrapped.

 

[Tori1133]

If you can, I would try since it's possible for them to run out of air, especially when shrink-wrapped.

okay, found his beak and got it out. Going to leave him be for a while and check back in. Thank you so much, he isn’t looking so good but hopefully now can breathe

 

[Isaac 0]

okay, found his beak and got it out. Going to leave him be for a while and check back in. Thank you so much, he isn’t looking so good but hopefully now can breathe

How is he doing this morning?

 

[Tori1133]

How is he doing this morning?

he didn’t make it we got his beak out and left him for a while but when we came back he had died thank you for your help though we have 3 other healthy ones and one more hopefully about to hatch soon. If you don’t mind me asking for more advice, this last one pipped down low outside of the air cell. I think it has been about 24hr should I be worried about him at all? I can’t still see movement, his egg has been shaking a lot over yesterday and today

 

[Tori1133]

he didn’t make it we got his beak out and left him for a while but when we came back he had died thank you for your help though we have 3 other healthy ones and one more hopefully about to hatch soon. If you don’t mind me asking for more advice, this last one pipped down low outside of the air cell. I think it has been about 24hr should I be worried about him at all? I can’t still see movement, his egg has been shaking a lot over yesterday and today

sorry typo, I meant to say I CAN still see movement. Looks like he is trying to get out but hasn’t made any progress

 

[Isaac 0]

he didn’t make it we got his beak out and left him for a while but when we came back he had died thank you for your help though we have 3 other healthy ones and one more hopefully about to hatch soon. If you don’t mind me asking for more advice, this last one pipped down low outside of the air cell. I think it has been about 24hr should I be worried about him at all? I can’t still see movement, his egg has been shaking a lot over yesterday and today

Since the duckling pipped on the other side, it will take longer to hatch, since in reality, it didn't internally pip through the air sac membrane, it skipped that process and directly externally pipped. It could take as long as 72 hours for the duckling to hatch, but if the bill is getting air you don't need to worry much for now.

 

[Tori1133]

Since the duckling pipped on the other side, it will take longer to hatch, since in reality, it didn't internally pip through the air sac membrane, it skipped that process and directly externally pipped. It could take as long as 72 hours for the duckling to hatch, but if the bill is getting air you don't need to worry much for now.

Okay all is good now I did end up having to help him at the end, he had been zipping for a few hours and seemed to only be able to get to one side of the egg and couldnt do a full zip. So was just pushing really hard in the same spot for so long. We then realized he was feet first and had been doing most of the work with his feet! Anyway we got the shell off of him and he popped out super fast and seemed very happy to be out... and really tired haha
thanks for all of your help!