Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[qwackers]

I got it! I am shocked... Sorry the photo is not better, I did not want to shut the heat lamp off or anything. The duckling that is farther out is the one I have been referring to as the weaker. We named that duckling survivor! If you look closely you can see the yolk still attached to duckling and shell. (On the left side of the egg)

Aw little sweeties. Aw I hope they'll be ok fingers crossed. Do you have any way of taking the temp? You dont want to cook them! Yeah dont worry you've done what I did. Though mine didn't get cracked. Do you have any vitamin suppliments for poultry you could dissolve in some water for them when they hopefully perk up abit?

 

[Learningstill]

I do have a thermometer right next to the two hatching. I have been rotating it to maintain temperature. I have been keeping it approx. 96-99 degrees, usually in the middle. It that too high? Or too low? I could not find if premature hatchlings need a different temp than the typical. What lowest high temp. would be considered too high? I have an omega egg maker powder for our layers, would that work? I am not familiar with vitamins for the ducklings, we have never hatched anything before. If you know of any specifically, could you share? That is an EXCELLENT idea though! Thank you greatly!

 

[qwackers]

I'm in the UK so you may not have it but I gave mine this stuff called poultry spice, contains mineral supplement etc. But I've heard people going on about save a chick or something.

Temp is meant to be 37.5 c so whatever that is in f. Havent heard of omega egg maker, see what it says on the packet, what it does etc. If it contains vitamins then may e just use a tiny tiny bit.

 

[Learningstill]

Okay, great. I will go get the save-a-chick. My daughter remembers seeing that at the store. I am hesitant on using the laying stuff, it might be too strong for their little bodies. Okay, I converted the temp and that puts it at 99.5 f, I think it said. So, that is good to know because I was not sure if that is too hot. So much information and it seems to vary, so thanks again.

 

[Amykins]

Okay, great. I will go get the save-a-chick. My daughter remembers seeing that at the store. I am hesitant on using the laying stuff, it might be too strong for their little bodies. Okay, I converted the temp and that puts it at 99.5 f, I think it said. So, that is good to know because I was not sure if that is too hot. So much information and it seems to vary, so thanks again.

Hatching and raising ducklings is quite a daunting process, especially for newcomers like you and me! The temp and humidity must be different depending on what stage of development they're at and even that varies depending on the species.

The people in here are amazingly nice and helpful and if not for them I probably would have gone bonkers by now with this one problem egg of mine! I hope your babies all pull through, and I hope you post pics. ^-^

 

[qwackers]

Anytime, good luck! Without this website I think I would have had a nervous breakdown while my duckies hatched out. Definitely a good thing to have around

 

[hokankai]

Thanks for your explanation and advice about the water. I did boil the water, wouldn't that kill bacteria? I hope so At first I thought it was normal too, until I kept researching and found information on shrink wrapped eggs. I looked at images and read lots, I mean lots. My eggs looked like the shrink wrapped eggs which if you are familiar a lot of the times it does not have a good outcome. They were all internally pipped, but only one was able to slightly externally pip. The others were shrink wrapped so bad they could not reach the shell. It was sad. Two were in their shells, pipped for approx. 24-48, but the other two (weaker two) were pipped for approx. 10. I know that I should have let them go longer, but their activity changed tons within the prior 24 hrs. I am glad I decided to peek, because they were in a white suctioned membrane that was so shriveled they could not even move. I watched for awhile before I jumped. I am hoping I made the right decision. With the few responses, I am feeling a bit nervous. I really was hoping to get more answers. I guess time will tell. Thank you very much for your response. God Bless!

Good

I'm at work so I didn't the other posts below haha. Shrink wrapping happens with the inner membrane, not the basement membrane of the air cell. I think a lot of people think their chicks are shrink wrapped when they open the aircells but really that's just what the aircell membrane looks like from inside the aircell. You would have to remove that and see the membrane underneath to see if try were shrink wrapped. Does that make sense ? Kind of confusing

 

[Learningstill]

I'm at work so I didn't the other posts below haha. Shrink wrapping happens with the inner membrane, not the basement membrane of the air cell. I think a lot of people think their chicks are shrink wrapped when they open the aircells but really that's just what the aircell membrane looks like from inside the aircell. You would have to remove that and see the membrane underneath to see if try were shrink wrapped. Does that make sense ? Kind of confusing

Okay, so let me try to understand this better. Should the basement membrane have been suctioned around the ducklings? Next question, when I dampened the membrane I could see and it was almost as if the duckling was being squeezed, is that normal? Two I could see their bills and the other two I could see parts of their bills, but the membrane was glued to their bills. Other than that, I could see the complete shape of the babies because of how the membrane was suctioned. Are you normally able to see their shape? The healthy images I was looking at online seemed to show more of a uneven layer that went across the egg, this did not do that. It was on the baby preventing upward movement and restricting any movement. I could see the difference in each of them with a flashlight before opening. If this too is normal, I feel so bad We just did not want to lose them.
Where do you get your knowledge from? We have gotten many books from the library and have been researching everything we can find on the Internet, plus word of mouth. We could have used your source! Thanks again.

 

[Learningstill]

Hatching and raising ducklings is quite a daunting process, especially for newcomers like you and me! The temp and humidity must be different depending on what stage of development they're at and even that varies depending on the species.

The people in here are amazingly nice and helpful and if not for them I probably would have gone bonkers by now with this one problem egg of mine! I hope your babies all pull through, and I hope you post pics. ^-^

It has proved to be helpful for me too. I did post some "works in progress" pictures above. If you have not seen them, check out our babies

 

[qwackers]

Okay, so let me try to understand this better. Should the basement membrane have been suctioned around the ducklings? Next question, when I dampened the membrane I could see and it was almost as if the duckling was being squeezed, is that normal? Two I could see their bills and the other two I could see parts of their bills, but the membrane was glued to their bills. Other than that, I could see the complete shape of the babies because of how the membrane was suctioned. Are you normally able to see their shape? The healthy images I was looking at online seemed to show more of a uneven layer that went across the egg, this did not do that. It was on the baby preventing upward movement and restricting any movement. I could see the difference in each of them with a flashlight before opening. If this too is normal, I feel so bad We just did not want to lose them.
Where do you get your knowledge from? We have gotten many books from the library and have been researching everything we can find on the Internet, plus word of mouth. We could have used your source! Thanks again.

Yeah that's properly shrink wrapped by the sounds if it. You did the right thing. It would be the inner membrane that is shrink wrapped but the outer one can dry out too but not around the baby. Keep us posted