Tapping when tapped close to hatch?

[Leaches123]

Hello everyone,
so my possible duck egg is day 25, whenever I tap on the egg, I get some taps back, would this mean it is close to hatching? Or just a random thing? I have chicken eggs on the auto turner in the same incubator, I tried making a separate hatchery, but am having trouble with the temp, it says about 36 but the egg doesn’t feel very warm when I tried it for a short time, I’m not sure if it’s safe to put the egg in there if it’s close to hatch or leave it in the turner which isn’t safe either If it’s due to hatch!

 

[JaeG]

The duckling isn't actually tapping - the sound you hear is it transitioning from relying on the vascular system for oxygen to breathing for itself. It could be internally pipped, or close to it. Can you candle it to see how it looks? If it has internally pipped you'll see its bill distinctly in the air cell. If it looks like it's sort of in the air cell, creating shadows there, then it's not quite there yet.

You couldn't remove the turner and hand turn the chicken eggs? 36 is a bit low although some people do lower the temperature for the hatching stage for duck eggs to a smidge warmer than 36.

What day are the chicken eggs on? Unless they are in their first week you should be fine to keep opening the incubator to turn them until the duck egg externally pips, then it won't hurt to skip a couple of days. The first week is the most critical for turning eggs.

Ducklings take a long time to hatch. They internally pip then 24 hours later they make an external pip. This is then the stage where they take their time and it can take them up to 48 hours to start to unzip.

Hope that helps some. Let us know how you get on with your mystery egg.

 

[Leaches123]

The duckling isn't actually tapping - the sound you hear is it transitioning from relying on the vascular system for oxygen to breathing for itself. It could be internally pipped, or close to it. Can you candle it to see how it looks? If it has internally pipped you'll see its bill distinctly in the air cell. If it looks like it's sort of in the air cell, creating shadows there, then it's not quite there yet.

You couldn't remove the turner and hand turn the chicken eggs? 36 is a bit low although some people do lower the temperature for the hatching stage for duck eggs to a smidge warmer than 36.

What day are the chicken eggs on? Unless they are in their first week you should be fine to keep opening the incubator to turn them until the duck egg externally pips, then it won't hurt to skip a couple of days. The first week is the most critical for turning eggs.

Ducklings take a long time to hatch. They internally pip then 24 hours later they make an external pip. This is then the stage where they take their time and it can take them up to 48 hours to start to unzip.

Hope that helps some. Let us know how you get on with your mystery egg.

Thank you for the info, that’s what I thought with the tapping, BUT it only happens when I tap on it first.. I def cannot see any bill in the air sac, the chicken eggs are day 8, so I think you might be right in removing the turner as being the best, I was just worried because I’m in and out the next few days and wouldnt be able to move them frequently. But I don’t want to loose the ”duck” either.. Food for thought, I might work on this tonight, thanks..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The duck doesn't need to be turned now but this time is critical for turning the chicken eggs.

 

[Leaches123]

The duck doesn't need to be turned now but this time is critical for turning the chicken eggs.

Yes the dilemma! I’m not even sure if the duck is close to hatch either, it could have the potential to be another 10 days.. (not sure of breed)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm not sure if I understand your setup. Do you have a space outside the turner where you can keep the duck egg at 99-100 and humidified? If so, you can move it there and keep the chicken eggs in the turner.

 

[Leaches123]

I'm not sure if I understand your setup. Do you have a space outside the turner where you can keep the duck egg at 99-100 and humidified? If so, you can move it there and keep the chicken eggs in the turner.

I have a brooder, but I can’t get the temperature up past 36c so thought it was a little cold for this stage, I don’t have enough space in the incubator to have an egg outside of the turner with it in place. I’ll just have to manually turn the chick eggs when I can..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In that case, I would just leave all of them in the turner and keep it turning. Since you don't know when it will hatch, just keep turning and watch for a pip. Then turn the turner off.
On a couple occasions I forgot what day hatch was and I went up to find all the chicks out while still in the energized turner. Let the duck hatch in the stopped turner and when it is out, move it to the brooder and turn the turner back on. If you get past day 15 for chicken eggs and the duck still isn't out. Take the turner out and turn it into a hatcher for all the eggs.
How did you get a duck egg but not know what species it was?

 

[Leaches123]

In that case, I would just leave all of them in the turner and keep it turning. Since you don't know when it will hatch, just keep turning and watch for a pip. Then turn the turner off.
On a couple occasions I forgot what day hatch was and I went up to find all the chicks out while still in the energized turner. Let the duck hatch in the stopped turner and when it is out, move it to the brooder and turn the turner back on. If you get past day 15 for chicken eggs and the duck still isn't out. Take the turner out and turn it into a hatcher for all the eggs.
How did you get a duck egg but not know what species it was?

we found an abandoned egg by the river, i didn’t even think it would incubate as I didn’t get it in for 10days, but it is growing for sure, so now it’s the great unknown!

 

[JaeG]

This is an excellent article explaining the critical period for turning eggs:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/the-biology-behind-egg-turning

I'm looking forward to hearing what hatches from your mystery egg.