Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[ducklover87]

Miss Lydia's right on the money with the incubator - don't open it! I know it's tempting, but you gotta leave the little guy in the high humidity. Ducklings are really slow hatchers, so it's completely possible he won't come out until tomorrow. So don't worry if he's not out within the next couple hours, he's probably just resting.

Thanks Pyxis. I'm more worried about time since I don't know when any of this happened. I candled not last night but the night before and I spend about a minute or so on each egg and I didn't see any tell tale signs then. Then yesterday when I turned the eggs I didn't notice anything and last night I wasn't able to candle as I was getting ready for work and running out the door so I just turned them real quick and that was it. I'm just hoping it hatches and the thought of it not making it has made me a bit nervous.

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote:
I hope you don't mind if I chime in...ducks are delicate to hatch than chickens...most important at this point is to keep the humidity nice and high...put a wet papertowel in the bator very quickly....you really should try for 80% with ducks especially now that it has pipped the egg shell it's prone to drying the membrane...I'm excited for you, just adore ducks...I have 4 and they have my heart

 

[ducklover87]

I hope you don't mind if I chime in...ducks are delicate to hatch than chickens...most important at this point is to keep the humidity nice and high...put a wet papertowel in the bator very quickly....you really should try for 80% with ducks especially now that it has pipped the egg shell it's prone to drying the membrane...I'm excited for you, just adore ducks...I have 4 and they have my heart

My incubator is around 70 something last I checked. I adore ducks too. I have 16 of them as of right now. But I'm keeping 2 out of this hatch. So the duckling hasn't done any zipping just the one hole. Its still moving around in there though. How long does it take from pip to zip usually? Sorry if I'm not using the right terms.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My incubator is around 70 something last I checked. I adore ducks too. I have 16 of them as of right now. But I'm keeping 2 out of this hatch. So the duckling hasn't done any zipping just the one hole. Its still moving around in there though. How long does it take from pip to zip usually? Sorry if I'm not using the right terms.

24-36 hours they take their own sweet time. and drive us batty in the process. How's the egg this morning any progress?
Hopefully you won't need it but good to read.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote:
has it hatched?

 

[ducklover87]

24-36 hours they take their own sweet time. and drive us batty in the process. How's the egg this morning any progress?
Hopefully you won't need it but good to read.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Sadly I think I might have to help... He's still moving in there but no progress at all. I will go take a look at the link.

Edited: Well I made the external pip hole a tiny bit bigger but not much. And I broke through the membrane. It was more of an accident really. I candled the egg as soon as I did it to make sure I didn't hurt the little darling and I didn't. In fact he's more active and is moving around. I'm not sure if its because he can hear me working on the egg or not. Also when I did that. An air sac type thing formed around the hole. This is soo stressful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sadly I think I might have to help... He's still moving in there but no progress at all. I will go take a look at the link.

Edited: Well I made the external pip hole a tiny bit bigger but not much. And I broke through the membrane. It was more of an accident really. I candled the egg as soon as I did it to make sure I didn't hurt the little darling and I didn't. In fact he's more active and is moving around. I'm not sure if its because he can hear me working on the egg or not. Also when I did that. An air sac type thing formed around the hole. This is soo stressful.

Update???

 

[ducklover87]

Update???

Well I helped some and made the hole a little bit bigger. But the shell cracked a little bit and I'm afraid is I make the hole any bigger that a big piece of the shell will come off. It's still moving in there though. and I'm not sure I'm doing it right because beneath the hole it looks like an air sac has formed but I don't want to open it up anymore. I'm afraid that if I do I will have helped to much and will kill the duckling. Although it's been a few hours and it still hasn't made any progress from when I helped it last.

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote:
how long has it been since it pipped?

 

[ducklover87]

how long has it been since it pipped?

I'm not sure when it pipped exactly but it's been about a day and a half since I've noticed the external pip.