it's pretty safe! Just be careful that none of the eggs get knocked out or anything! If you see any large patches of membrane looking dry, a little drop of coconut on will help-but opening the incubator for a couple moments to take out hatchlings should be fine! Sometimes its better to do that even if others are pipping!
Hatching is a learning curve! It just takes practice. I'm so happy your babies are doing well! I'll reply to these quotes anyways.
That's only chicken chicks. Ducks can safely take up to 36-48 hours from external pip to zip. Even longer sometimes. It just depends on the individual bird.
At that point, it is safe to finish the zip. Once they start zipping, they shouldn't stall out for more than half an hour. If they do, you need to finish the zip carefully for them. If you see any blood, stop, wait twenty minutes, then try again.
I know! That's why I said they can take over- One of my ducklings took over two days- and one was much faster, she zipped in just over an hour, 20 or so hours after external pip!
How are her legs? Can you take a photo? Some do take longer to get their legs under them
She’s getting around. I think it may be the one who hatched on the wrong end. I assisted a hatch this morning that couldn’t make it out of the wrong end. She’s doing fine! Is there a reason that at least two pipped the wrong end this hatch?
awww! Congrats on your hatches!!! Those lil fluff balls are just adorable!**UPDATE**
18 eggs went into the incubator to be the most stressful hatch I’ve done. I bought a dozen eggs and the lady I deal with gave me 6 extra ( since only about 75% are fertile). When the time came for hatching, I stressed over so much thinking I’d blown the whole thing and I’d be lucky to get any ducklings 18 eggs went in.
And…..
17 ducklings came out
3 ended up being assisted hatches after all. Super scary on the one that only had a pip and no signs of zipping. But I just knew if I didn’t do something she would die in there. She’s the last one and is warming and drying in the incubator while her SIXTEEN siblings are frolicking around in the brooder. This is by far the most ducks I’ve had and I’m thinking I’m gonna have to split them into separate brooders! Oh the smell that’s coming soon lol
No, that one stopped developing early in the game
Congratulations!!! That's great!**UPDATE**
18 eggs went into the incubator to be the most stressful hatch I’ve done. I bought a dozen eggs and the lady I deal with gave me 6 extra ( since only about 75% are fertile). When the time came for hatching, I stressed over so much thinking I’d blown the whole thing and I’d be lucky to get any ducklings 18 eggs went in.
And…..
17 ducklings came out
3 ended up being assisted hatches after all. Super scary on the one that only had a pip and no signs of zipping. But I just knew if I didn’t do something she would die in there. She’s the last one and is warming and drying in the incubator while her SIXTEEN siblings are frolicking around in the brooder. This is by far the most ducks I’ve had and I’m thinking I’m gonna have to split them into separate brooders! Oh the smell that’s coming soon lol
