Chick on day 41, help!

[TigerLily34]

Posted this on chicks but was advised to post it here.

Hi all! I run a poultry farm and have hatched hundreds of eggs, and I’ve finally run into a first. I have a duck egg with high priority (laid by a now passed duck of importance to us) who is on day 41 with no pip or any indication of one. We’ve hatched many ducklings and I incubated this one the same one I’ve incubated every other one before it.

Yesterday we finally opened a small hole and I have located the beak, there is movement, but the veins are still rather prominent and I may see a yolk? I’ll have a picture attached at the end. I have seen varying opinions on what to do at days 30, 31, even 32 but not once in my life have I had a live duckling with no signs of hatching at day 41. I’m hesitant to take it out of the egg but I’m just so at a loss. I’m just looking for any opinions on what to do. We have heard only one faint chirp from the duckling in the last 24 hours. Beak is in normal placement and there are feathers of appropriate development on the face able to be seen through the membrane. When candled the duckling seems very small (lots of space in the egg).

This is not a pekin or mescovy duck breed. It is a swedish/crested mix, we have hatched from this pair in the past, although not often.

 

[DukesDucks]

IMO looks like shrink wrapping. You need to keep that inner membrane from drying out. Try doing some searching on this site for treatments for shrink wrap.

 

[TigerLily34]

IMO looks like shrink wrapping. You need to keep that inner membrane from drying out. Try doing some searching on this site for treatments for shrink wrap.

the shrink wrapping has only started since opening the egg but we were getting desperate, we’ve been taking care of that as normal.

 

[Canadian Wind]

You say it's a Crested mix? That may be the problem right there. Delayed growth due to neurological issues...

 

[TigerLily34]

You say it's a Crested mix? That may be the problem right there. Delayed growth due to neurological issues...

That’s what we’re wondering. We’ve never had an issue with her eggs before but i’m wondering if an issue is appearing out of random chance now. im just wondering what the best course of action would be, through candling on the side of the cage the duckling definitely looks off(?), misshapen almost but it’s hard to tell.

 

[deer trail duck farms]

41 days i highly doubt the little guy is going to make it. if you even can get it to hatch its probably going to have health issues that are beyond care. if it were me i would move on... but i hope and pray for the best!

 

[TigerLily34]

It didn’t make it. Early this morning it pipped maybe? Or scratched the membrane? Either way it opened itself up and died at some point. When I opened up the egg to take a look it just looked all wrong if that makes sense. I don’t think it was ever going to make it all the way through. Thank you for the help and pointers everyone.