Super shrink wrapped duckling

[JessD1989]

I'm about 36 hours from the first external pip with no zipping. I took the pip shell/membrane off for a very tiny window, and saw that my duckling is shrink wrapped. I removed a little more shell so I could moisten the internal membrane, which revealed lots of healthy veins still. I feel like my hands are tied while waiting for veins to recede. It's dozing, peeping, clicking, and chewing/yawning, so I know I need to wait. What's the likelihood that it'll survive being shrink wrapped and membrane exposed, but kept moist?

 

[My2butterflies]

Hopefully the odds are good. I have three guinea eggs with the same issue. All have coconut oil on the membrane now and are in the incubator.
best of luck with your little duckling! Please update with how things turn out.

 

[JessD1989]

I wanted to add that it's in the most shabby incubator I could rig. There's a dish of water and sphagnum moss to keep humidity up, but a wire mesh lid covered with aluminum foil, so the moisture has undoubtedly fluctuated while I slept and led to this. I haven't hatched chickens in years, but my five year old asked if I could save this duck and his face just.... Gaaah. Couldn't say no. Duckling is still fidgeting

. Just waiting.

 

[JessD1989]

What would cause a duckling to externally pip when it's developmentally unprepared? I ask because it's been 48+ hours since he cracked his shell, I discovered he was shrink wrapped, and I used coconut oil on the membrane. The duckling is snoozing and peeping and breathing fine, but is still trapped inside it's membrane with active veins and the yolk unabsorbed.

 

[My2butterflies]

I’m not sure. One of my guinea keets did the same thing. It pipped and cracked the outer shell but had veins and was actively “chewing”. It pipped Sunday night(when I noticed it) and after some assistance between yesterday and today it has hatched. The membrane was very stuck to it even though I applied coconut oil multiple times.

Hopefully someone with experience can chime in and give you better answers. Mine are completely based off this first experience I’ve just had.

 

[Trisseh]

I’m not 100% convinced he was truly shrink wrapped; that looks entirely normal for an egg that’s opened a bit too early. The membrane does conform to the baby’s body; when you first open the egg shell it’s white and follows the contours. That’s the same whether it’s a pipped egg or a DIS egg that you’re doing an eggtopsy on. Now, with the egg open more, you’ll have to watch closely for true shrink wrapping, where the membrane sticks so tightly that the duckling can’t move. They have to externally pip after usually about 24 hours because the air supply has run out in the air cell. Ducklings especially take what feels like forever to start zipping once they’ve externally pipped - some people have had them sit for 3 days before they start to zip!
My last hatch, the first duckling had internally pipped, I noted the time, and checked it again at roughly the 24 hour mark. It had not externally pipped well at that point, so I made a tiny safety hole in the egg. An entire 24 hours later, that duckling externally pipped properly. Then it was another 36 hours before it started doing much else. With yours, it can breathe, it has lots of absorbing to do, and rushing it won’t help anyone. It’ll hatch when it’s ready. If it does become truly shrink wrapped, and you have to, you can help it; but definitely don’t try to go any further with vessels that look like that and a duckling that is still actively absorbing everything.
If you haven’t already, definitely read up on this invaluable guide:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Ducks are the worst to wait on to hatch. Lol. Although I hear goslings are pretty awful too. Good luck!

 

[JessD1989]

56+ hours later after the external pip, it gave up. I'm pretty bummed. It's my own fault for accepting an egg I was ill prepared for. Afterwards I opened it up and it never absorbed the blood or the yolk. It's an unpleasant reality I've found myself in, and I'm going to pass on the next egg that comes my way. They deserve better than my shoddy incubator and inexperience.

 

[Carriesdean]

I have a baby that I believe is in trouble and may be seeking some advice!
It attempted to make three externals pips with no hole... so I carefully made a hole from the pips... it had been close to the 24 hour mark! It hasn’t done anything since then... it looked like it was trying, but appeared not be able to reach! I removed some of the shell as it is close to 48 hours since it’s sibling has hatched! Maybe you can help??? It is breathing much better now... not a rapid pant or appearing to be gasping... can’t really tell if it is shrinked wrapped.. humidity is at 80%