Muscovy Duck Egg Cracked Early

[HeSaves88]

This is first time breeding ducks we got two Muscovy ducks last year and they laid 12 eggs. Four were gotten by puppies before we got the fence fixed but today found one cracked all over and a small tear in the membrane. There is some blood I opened it a little thinking it was dead but it started moving and breathing and peeping. I read to leave them alone if there is blood vessels so I put it on an electric blanket on medium and a damp piece of toilet paper on the top of it. Does it need the crack uncovered for air or not? I'm trying to keep it moist I am in Baja California Sur Mexico and it's about 90 degrees or a little more in the air already and dries the paper towel out fast so I keep wetting it. How often do I turn? Do I need to assist when the blood vessels are absorbed? I don't know what to do this is our first duck eggs I had chickens as a child and they did everything themselves. I kicked out the drake I think he's the one trampling all over the nest trying to breed more.

 

[HeSaves88]

I added a plastic bag over the damp paper towel and put the electric blanket more like over and under it's lightly covered by the bag to keep the moisture in the paper towel because it dries out so much here.

 

[SilverBirds]

What day is it on? If it's too early he might not make it.

 

[HeSaves88]

What day is it on? If it's too early he might not make it.

I don't know the day I didn't keep good track of it but the duckling is peeping and breathing and has black feathers and moves around. It's pretty cramped in the egg, I was going to keep my eye on it and turn it and keep it moist in the electric blanket and see if the others start hatching any time soon. Is it okay if it's early? I read not to assist if there are blood vessels still and there are so I am going to hope they absorb? The membrane is open and everything I have the damp paper towel over it. But if it's peeping is that a good sign? I thought they peep close to hatching?

 

[SilverBirds]

I don't know the day I didn't keep good track of it but the duckling is peeping and breathing and has black feathers and moves around. It's pretty cramped in the egg, I was going to keep my eye on it and turn it and keep it moist in the electric blanket and see if the others start hatching any time soon. Is it okay if it's early? I read not to assist if there are blood vessels still and there are so I am going to hope they absorb? The membrane is open and everything I have the damp paper towel over it. But if it's peeping is that a good sign? I thought they peep close to hatching?

Do you have an estimate of how many days? Turning the egg could confuse and hurt the baby if it's near lockdown. I would just let the egg rest and keep an eye on it. Apply coconut oil to the membrane if it seems dry. Hopefully your lil one pulls through, but be prepared for him not to make it.

 

[HeSaves88]

Do you have an estimate of how many days? Turning the egg could confuse and hurt the baby if it's near lockdown. I would just let the egg rest and keep an eye on it. Apply coconut oil to the membrane if it seems dry. Hopefully your lil one pulls through, but be prepared for him not to make it.

I don't know days but it's peeping and I think I found the air sac and the head moving around in it I think there is a spot looks like the duck has been pecking at at the inside? Am I not supposed to cover that big open gap with the paper towel? Is it supposed to be open to air? Do I need to make a small hole at the air sac place?

 

[HeSaves88]

Okay so I found an area I think was pecked from the inside in the air sack and candled and picked away a little shell and membrane to look inside and there is the beak there and then it poked the beak out of the tiny hole. I've put the paper towel back over the ripped area and put it back under the electric blanket but the bloody spots that were bleeding have dried and are not actively bleeding. Some old brown blood had leaked out when it was turned a certain way so I put it back to where the rip is facing up. I took some photos so please tell me what you think and what you see. It is peeping still and moving and breathing.

 

[SilverBirds]

Okay so I found an area I think was pecked from the inside in the air sack and candled and picked away a little shell and membrane to look inside and there is the beak there and then it poked the beak out of the tiny hole. I've put the paper towel back over the ripped area and put it back under the electric blanket but the bloody spots that were bleeding have dried and are not actively bleeding. Some old brown blood had leaked out when it was turned a certain way so I put it back to where the rip is facing up. I took some photos so please tell me what you think and what you see. It is peeping still and moving and breathing.

I'd put it pip side up so you can watch to see if it's making any progress zipping. It usually takes a healthy duckling 48+ hours to fully zip so don't panic if there seems to be little progress for a few hours. It is likely you will need to assist some. If you haven't read the Article 'Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry' definitely do that.

 

[HeSaves88]

I'd put it pip side up so you can watch to see if it's making any progress zipping. It usually takes a healthy duckling 48+ hours to fully zip so don't panic if there seems to be little progress for a few hours. It is likely you will need to assist some. If you haven't read the Article 'Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry' definitely do that.

Ok one issue is I don't have an incubator just this little electric blanket and it's now night time so it's cooling down I had it up to six and it seemed really hot so I moved it around and it started moving again. I have it on 4 now and I have to turn it on again every two hours. I am unsure how to keep it moist when I don't have an incubator and just this electric blanket.

 

[HeSaves88]

I'd put it pip side up so you can watch to see if it's making any progress zipping. It usually takes a healthy duckling 48+ hours to fully zip so don't panic if there seems to be little progress for a few hours. It is likely you will need to assist some. If you haven't read the Article 'Guide to Assisted Hatching for All Poultry' definitely do that.

It is making those little chewing motions so I think it's still absorbing yolk? I made that one hole and have it in the electric blanket. It's not making a lot of noise I don't think it's ready to come out yet I do think it did make that little pip in the air sac though and that's where I made the safety hole.