Strange eggs when candled.

[abraga]

I never hatched duck eggs but i have read they take longer to hatch once pipped. There is a forum on hatching/incubation on this site that gives step by step instructions on assisted hatch. What was ur humidity during incubation?

 

[abraga]

I thing your eggs look good..they do appear to be rotating/zipping. If u kept humidity to low during incubation there is a possibility the chicks may need an assist, however, every time u open ur bator..u let out valuable heat/humidity that can cause the eggs to dry out and shrinkwrap the chicks trying to hatch. If u must open the bator..put a cup of hot water in immediately to get humidity back up quickly.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

It has been 24 hours since they all pipped. One in particular looks like it has three pipp marks instead of a zip and the last barely cracked. I am worried his egg tooth is wearing down. Do you think their pips are large enough to allow enough oxygen? We are worried they are not getting enough and want to barely enlarge the pip.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I thing your eggs look good..they do appear to be rotating/zipping. If u kept humidity to low during incubation there is a possibility the chicks may need an assist, however, every time u open ur bator..u let out valuable heat/humidity that can cause the eggs to dry out and shrinkwrap the chicks trying to hatch. If u must open the bator..put a cup of hot water in immediately to get humidity back up quickly.

We had a batch of shrink wrapped chicks in the spring so we are a little humidity crazy.

 

[WVduckchick]

Ducks can take 40+ hours from first pip. Don't panic too soon!

 

[abraga]

Most if the cracks/pips look cracked enough to get oxygen. I agree u should wait...i know it's hard/stressful...i get stressed every single time during lockdown

 

[abraga]

Most if the cracks/pips look cracked enough to get oxygen. I agree u should wait...i know it's hard/stressful...i get stressed every single time during lockdown

Once they have an external pip..they will get oxygen.

 

[abraga]

glenolamChillin' With My Peeps
Ducks take 28 days to incubate. So you should stop turning the eggs on day 25.

I've had ducklings take 2 hours to pip, zip and come out and I've had some take 2 days. If it looks like the little guy is stuck and it's been a day or two since pipping, warm up the room the bator is in and start a hot shower to get the humidity up in the room too (or whatever you can to get the room hot and moist). Take the pipped egg out and check to see if the duckling is having a hard time breaking the membrane. Sometimes if the humidity is too low or the temp is too low the membrane will begin to stick to the duckling and they can't break out. In that case, mist the egg slightly with warm water and put it back in the incubator (making sure to add water to the incubator if the humidity is too low). If in an hour or two the duckling hasn't made any progress, you could help it a little and crack more shell and the membrane, but be sure you dont' do all the work. The little guys need to learn it the hard way.

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry, but i disagree with misting eggs in effort to keep them moist. It actually has the opposite effect, and draws more moisture out of the egg as it evaporates.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

You were all correct. The four that had pipped hatched. The first two hatched within a minute or two of the maximum effect of the eclipse which was exciting. The two strange eggs were quitters. I think I also lost the other remaining eggs but I left them in, just in case. Thank you for your help!