Ash
Member
I have been incubating some Khaki Campbell eggs and it is now day 30 (two days past due date). For the past couple of days I've been able to hear the ducklings inside chirping and tapping away at their shell but so far none have managed to externally pip.
Since they are already late should I give them some assistance or just wait a bit longer to see how it goes?
--Luke--
TopVeg
Member
Hi Ash
Always tense when you can hear the chirping! Is the humidity around the eggs high enough? It is helpful to put some warm water in there - either in a small container or on damp kitchen towels.
We were always told not to help- but it is hard not to sometimes.
I am sure other people will have had experience of this & hopefully they will comment. Good luck
Ash
Member
I've got the humidity set at 75% and has been at that since day 25-26 when I stopped turning them. It's driving me crazy as it sounds as though they are really trying to get out.
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends
Hi Ash,
Welcome to the farmingfriends forum.
It is not unusual for eggs to hatch late and there are a number of reasons that can cause this. Here is a link about this. http://www.farmingfriends.com/reasons-for-eggs-hatching-late/
Tracey left a comment on my website and she was experiencing the same concerns as her duck eggs had been rocking for two days but hadn't pipped. here is her comment.
Hi i have one duck egg that is due to hatch today. Its in a dome incubator. It has been turned and sprayed too, As i read tht ducks need that little more humidity. I remember hatching ducks when we were young and have use the same techniques. I was asked to look after this for someone that has gone on their hols. I thought this will be great experience for my daughter. There is still life as the egg has been rocking for two days. Which was quite exciting! Im concerned a it has not pipped yet. Is this because im being inpatient. I know you must not help them at all. (and wont) but is this normal or do you think the bird is struggling. When candled i could not see any beak popping through into the airsack. Im hoping its not sticky or dry. Please help!
I sent her this reply which may be of use for you Ash.
Thanks for visiting farmingfriends and commenting.
It is quite normal for the egg not to have started to pip yet as the hatching process can take a few days. You need to be watching out for the eggs pipping and listening out for little cheeps too as this is a sign that the egg is pipping and the duckling is hatching. It is good that the egg has not hatched early.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
I never help the chicks/ducklings out of their shell if they have not pipped but if a chick has pipped the egg shell and has not progressed any further after a number of hours then I will help the chick/duckling out.
If you do need to help the duckling out then you have to work fast and you also have to be careful that they don’t bleed which is not easy when you are trying to keep them warm as well.
I know that when I help the ducklings hatch it is best to try to remove as much of the inner membrane as possible so that when the egg & duckling are placed back in the incubator the membrane does not dry onto the duckling making it even more difficult for the duckling to hatch.
I have also found that the best thing is to try to remove as much of the egg shell except around the bottom and then remove as much of the membrane until there is just a cup shaped shell left where the duckling will still be attached.
I try to make sure that the head and legs are out of the shell making it easier for the duckling to get out of the remaining egg when it is placed back in the incubator.
I too have read that you should not help a chick or duckling but if I had not helped my ducklings then out of the 7 that hatched only one would be dashing around my garden and dabbling in the water.
Good luck with your egg. Let me know how the egg gets on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
So it isn't unusual for eggs to hatch late and I personally wait till the ducklings have pipped the shell before I help, if I have to. I usually only help after the duckling has been struggling for a number of hours.
My khaki campbells are now nearly 21 weeks old and are very healthy considering once they had pipped I had to help 6 of the 7!
Hope this helps.
Let us know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Ash
Member
With a little bit of help the first one is out and well :) . It hatched this morning at about 7am and has just been transferred to the brooder.
However, a second duckling has gone and pipped at the wrong end. I've popped a hole in the membrane so it can breath but i'm unsure what to do next as this has not happened to me before. Do I proceed to open more of the shell or just let it work its way out now that there is a hole for it?
admin
Sara @ farmingfriends
Hi Ash,
I think I would give the duckling chance to get out itself but if after a couple of hours little progress has been made then from my experience with guinea fowl chicks, I would probably help the duckling.
If you do help the duckling out then you have to work fast and you also have to be careful that they don’t bleed which is not easy when you are trying to keep them warm as well.
I know that when I help the ducklings hatch it is best to try to remove as much of the inner membrane & shell as possible so that when the egg & duckling are placed back in the incubator the membrane does not dry onto the duckling making it even more difficult for the duckling to hatch.
I have also found that the best thing is to try to remove as much of the egg shell except around the bottom and then remove as much of the membrane until there is just a cup shaped shell left where the duckling will still be attached.
I try to make sure that the head and legs are out of the shell making it easier for the duckling to get out of the remaining egg when it is placed back in the incubator.
I try to peel tiny bits of shell and membrane to avoid the bleeding.
Opening the incubator repeatedly at hatch time can affect the success rate so you need to try not to keep opening the incubator too often.
When I help a duckling I quickly get the egg out of the incubator and replace the lid. I try to cup the egg in one hand to keep it warn while I try to peel the shell and membrane back carefully.
I hope the duckling survives whatever decision you make.
I am pleased to hear that you have one healthy duckling.
My husband’s uncle rears ducks on a large scale and they said that if a new born duckling doesn’t look too lively then a swim in some water can help to revive the duckling. Here are my day old ducklings having a swim.
| Get the Flash Video |
Let us know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends
Ash
Member
Unfortunately the one that pipped at the wrong end didn't make it through the night, which means the first little guy is on his own for a couple of weeks until my 12 new leghorn chicks arrive