Call Duck Hatching

[The Ranch Girl]

This is my first time doing Call duck eggs, I’ve assisted and hatched countless amounts of Chicken and Muscovy duck eggs. So I had no problem taking on call ducks. This breed has had my attention for a long time and I’ve always wanted pet ducks.

I ordered 14 hatching eggs from the state next to me. They were shipped in two different boxes. To my disappointment each and every egg either was too scrambled to hatch, or just never developed. Except one. Just one egg out of 14 and it had water inside the air pocket (which has now thankfully disappeared.)
So I took such good care of the little egg.
I even found and extremely helpful video on how to assist hatching. The first step was:
Once the baby internally pips you want to use needle nose pliers or some other small tool to make a pin point sized hole to help the baby get air. Then set the egg back in the incubator for 24 hrs. And everything else happens after that.
But this is the step I’m stuck on, when a baby correctly pips into the air sack, it’s so easy to tell. But sometimes they like to be little stinker and pip where the membrane is. And usually it will make a black spot on the egg. Now with Muscovy ducks they usually need help when this happens but they can make a pipped hole. This little one can’t.

Today is day 26 for him, if I make that air hole will the air still reach through the membrane or do I need to make a hole where his beak is?

The circle in the picture is where I think he is trying to pip at, in my experience that is exactly what it looks like when they do that.
But I’m at wits end, I really want this baby to live!

Should I wait a little longer to see if he really does internally pip?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

This is my first time doing Call duck eggs, I’ve assisted and hatched countless amounts of Chicken and Muscovy duck eggs. So I had no problem taking on call ducks. This breed has had my attention for a long time and I’ve always wanted pet ducks.

I ordered 14 hatching eggs from the state next to me. They were shipped in two different boxes. To my disappointment each and every egg either was too scrambled to hatch, or just never developed. Except one. Just one egg out of 14 and it had water inside the air pocket (which has now thankfully disappeared.)
So I took such good care of the little egg.
I even found and extremely helpful video on how to assist hatching. The first step was:
Once the baby internally pips you want to use needle nose pliers or some other small tool to make a pin point sized hole to help the baby get air. Then set the egg back in the incubator for 24 hrs. And everything else happens after that.
But this is the step I’m stuck on, when a baby correctly pips into the air sack, it’s so easy to tell. But sometimes they like to be little stinker and pip where the membrane is. And usually it will make a black spot on the egg. Now with Muscovy ducks they usually need help when this happens but they can make a pipped hole. This little one can’t.

Today is day 26 for him, if I make that air hole will the air still reach through the membrane or do I need to make a hole where his beak is?

The circle in the picture is where I think he is trying to pip at, in my experience that is exactly what it looks like when they do that.
But I’m at wits end, I really want this baby to live!

Should I wait a little longer to see if he really does internally pip?

The bruise area is where it needs air from asap.

 

[The Ranch Girl]

The bruise area is where it needs air from asap.

So I need to make a hole there? That means his beak is there right?
I’m just worried I will damage the membrane but I’m absolutely willing to do it right now, I just peeled a small part of shell back in the bruised spot but not the membrane yet

 

[My15Ducks]

So I need to make a hole there? That means his beak is there right?
I’m just worried I will damage the membrane but I’m absolutely willing to do it right now, I just peeled a small part of shell back in the bruised spot but not the membrane yet

For safety holes I use a screw and carefully drill a small hole through the bruised area. The hole will go through the membrane but it will just be the size of the width of the screw - very tiny.

It looks like your egg might have 2 bruises. I would make a safety hole in each bruise

 

[The Ranch Girl]

For safety holes I use a screw and carefully drill a small hole through the bruised area. The hole will go through the membrane but it will just be the size of the width of the screw - very tiny.

It looks like your egg might have 2 bruises. I would make a safety hole in each bruise

Ok! I did that and the beak was right there. I’m now going to leave it for 24 hrs and then proceed further after that.

 

[My15Ducks]

Ok! I did that and the beak was right there. I’m now going to leave it for 24 hrs and then proceed further after that.

Oh that’s great, good job! Is it moving/peeping?

 

[The Ranch Girl]

Oh that’s great, good job! Is it moving/peeping?

Yes, it’s moving and peeping, but still chewing so I know it’s not ready to come out yet.
this morning I checked on him and he had proceeded to internally pip on his own! Which is so wonderful to me. This is my first call duck hatching ever.
Unfortunately this baby will be all alone (if you read my post above) all the others didn’t make it.
Fortunately I ordered 6 call duck hatching eggs supposed to arrive tomorrow.
So this one will have to get used to being a spoiled only child for a while

 

[The Ranch Girl]

Ok so update:
@My15Ducks @BirdsBeesTrees
It is now coming to the end of day 27, and here is the progress I’ve made on the egg:
I’m not sure the next step, I most definitely don’t want him coming out too early! So please let me know what to do…
Where his wing is now (in the photo) his beak was most of the day. He’s just now shifted a couple hrs ago.

 

[My15Ducks]

Ok so update:
@My15Ducks @BirdsBeesTrees
It is now coming to the end of day 27, and here is the progress I’ve made on the egg:
I’m not sure the next step, I most definitely don’t want him coming out too early! So please let me know what to do know..
Where his wing is now (in the photo) his beak was most of the day. He’s just now shifted a couple hrs ago.

Strange little duckling, don’t stick your head back down!

So in the pictures I don’t see many veins in the membrane. Do you see veins? When you removed that shell, did you see veins? Don’t forget to wet the membrane with Vaseline or coconut oil.

If you don’t see veins, it’s probably close or ready to hatch. You have taken off enough shell that it might be able to push its way out on its own

 

[The Ranch Girl]

Strange little duckling, don’t stick your head back down!

So in the pictures I don’t see many veins in the membrane. Do you see veins? When you removed that shell, did you see veins? Don’t forget to wet the membrane with Vaseline or coconut oil.

If you don’t see veins, it’s probably close or ready to hatch. You have taken off enough shell that it might be able to push its way out on its own

Haha! I know, this one is going to be a stinker lol

I saw veins but very minor, they are extremely small and have definitely started dissipating since the beginning.

I removed that shell an hr ago and the veins seemed that small still. I’ve been reading about how I should push the membrane back and if it bleeds to stop and dry it up and come back later.

I’ve continually been using warm water and vaseline and it’s been staying very moist!

So if you think I took back enough shell for it to push its way out, then should I leave it alone now? Or should I push the membrane back some?
I just want you to know you have been so helpful! And I greatly appreciate it! It’s always a learning process with new hatching journeys and I enjoy the help so much…