Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[qwackers]

Ok looks like it was shrink wrapped - but that's because it hadn't gone into lockdown yet, humidity was kept at 45 - 55%.  Turned it up to 60% this morning and still trying to whack it up.  Eggs still rocking and pipping.  

Can I slow down a hatch? How can I help these little guys out? 

I was gunna say it's probably shrink wrapped cuz of the humidity. Put them into to lockdown and wack up the humidity. Maybe wrap in paper towels too to help any drying out membranes.

 

[qwackers]

Help... we went moving the ducks to lockdown status.  And realized that one duckling had pipped through the air cell AND had made a crack in the egg!  But the humidity was low all weekend and it was in an egg turner til today.

We added water to increase humidity and it's still low, can we open it quickly to put water in and should we do anything for the duckling that pipped???

Yeh if you really quick add more, make sure it is slightly warm so it bumps up quick rather than cooling it all down. The one that pipped you could wrap in a warm wetish cloth/paper towel to help out with the membranes.

 

[EJPedrazzi]

Ok will do that now - thanks. Wish me luck!

 

[qwackers]

Good luck!

 

[qwackers]

If the humidity doesn't go up in 15mins make the water a bit warmer and put more wet things in and if you havent already, dish sponges give a good surface area for water to evaporate.

 

[EJPedrazzi]

I put a dish of warm water in there with large surface area, wrapped all eggs in wet warm paper towels and filled the troughs. Humidity is 81%. One egg is rocking and tweeting though, definitely ready to come out. I just want it to soak up enough humid air to be able to hatch safely.

 

[qwackers]

All sounds good! Fingers crossed! I'm off the bed now it's late here, hope to see baby pics tomorrow maybe! Good luck!

 

[EJPedrazzi]

Can anyone else help with this? I know qwackers is asleep in England and will be for a few more hours still.

How long should I keep the paper towels on the eggs for? Humidity is a steady 80% and I can still hear them peeping away in there. Should I remove towels, I don't want them to break out in the night and suffocate the edge. Egg shells are definitely moistened now

 

[shicks0211]

I would remove the towels..leave the eggs sit on them and mist the eggs...then leave it..sounds like you're good..if you do that and just leave it shut it'll stay nice and humid in there and babies can hatch...you don't want the babies to try and hatch and get stuck on the paper towel wrapped around the egg..they may not realize they've broken through and wear themselves out..can't wait to see pics

 

[EJPedrazzi]

Ok we're all good to go, we're ready for hatching. I really really don't want to lose another. I just don't know why they hatched so early? Fingers crossed for the little babes.