When to Assist Hatch?

[pterry97]

Hi all, I currently have a single mandarin duck egg incubating, we're now on day 31 of a supposed 28 day hatch cycle. I've candled the egg this morning and there is still movement inside, a mass has been protruding into the air sac cavity for the past 2 days, but not a single attempt at pipping. When do I take the initiative to assist hatching them out? I don't want them suffocating in there as they're my only remaining egg that survived. Will they dry out if I pop a tiny hole into the air sac to make sure they can at least breathe?

 

[Ducklings100]

So, it's internally piped? If it is then you may want to assist soon, especially if it has been there for a while because it will run out of oxygen. You may want to try to pop a small hole, I don't think it will dry out. I would wait for a few other people to give advice too though. Good luck

 

[pterry97]

So, it's internally piped? If it is then you may want to assist soon, especially if it has been there for a while because it will run out of oxygen. You may want to try to pop a small hole, I don't think it will dry out. I would wait for a few other people to give advice too though. Good luck

No pipping yet, I decided on puncturing a tiny hole and then candled it, and through the hole I can see that they still haven't internally pipped yet. Th shadow I could see in the air sac is just them pushing heavily against the membrane of the air sac, they're still wiggling about inside but they're taking such a long time to hatch. When do they risk survival being in the egg so long?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What was your temperature and humidity throughout incubation? Also have you used a calibrated thermometer and hygrometer inside the incubator to ensure absolute accuracy? An incubators onboard instruments many times will not be 100% accurate and incorrect temperature/humidity can and will delay a hatch.