Dark ring around Duck egg day 28

[emilyanderson]

I've been incubating Cayuga Duck eggs for the first time. They were set at around 8pm on the 26th September (today is morning of 24th Oct here). So I'm assuming this is counted as day 28? I have been very worried as since I candled them and put them into lockdown at 8pm on the 21st there has been little progress. This morning I turned the incubator to check all sides and it appears one has externally pipped. I don't know exactly how long since it pipped but my partner said he saw the shell on the floor of the incubator yesterday but didn't mention it as he thought it was "debris", until i told him it pipped.

However, looking from this angle it appears the egg behind it has a dark ring (slightly orange ring around a almost translucent spot). Both the pipped egg and the one with the ring look like they're positioned at the wrong end.

I haven't opened the incubator since lockdown. I'm concerned the dark ring is either the duckling trying to pip at the wrong end, or rotting and at risk of exploding. However, I don't want to open the incubator unless necessary incase I shrink wrap my (so far) only successful external pipped egg. egg.

Has anyone seen a ring like this before or knows what it is? What should I do?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[Debbie292d]

Sometimes with duck eggs, the shell becomes discolored a day or two before they hatch.

I'd try let these all keep going uninterrupted for another 24 hours before worrying. They can take that long even when pipped. It's been about 8 hours since you posted this so hopefully some action is going on in there.

I hope you get a great hatch!

Oh, and welcome to BYC!!

 

[emilyanderson]

Sometimes with duck eggs, the shell becomes discolored a day or two before they hatch.

I'd try let these all keep going uninterrupted for another 24 hours before worrying. They can take that long even when pipped. It's been about 8 hours since you posted this so hopefully some action is going on in there.

I hope you get a great hatch!

Oh, and welcome to BYC!!

Thank you so much for the advice and welcoming! Thankfully 3 including the discoloured egg has pipped externally so far. The discolured one just has a 2 way crack going. One in front of it has progressed quite well and one at the back has chipped away a few pieces of shell.
However as the other two have pipped quite close to the floor, I can only see white membrane. I thought they have to pierce the membrane to breathe (especially as two of three are at the narrow end). I would have thought the closest, which has been steadly progressing, would have suffocated by now if they hadn't?

Maybe its just small enough I can't see the hole in the membrane?

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you so much for the advice and welcoming! Thankfully 3 including the discoloured egg has pipped externally so far. The discolured one just has a 2 way crack going. One in front of it has progressed quite well and one at the back has chipped away a few pieces of shell.
However as the other two have pipped quite close to the floor, I can only see white membrane. I thought they have to pierce the membrane to breathe (especially as two of three are at the narrow end). I would have thought the closest, which has been steadly progressing, would have suffocated by now if they hadn't?

Maybe its just small enough I can't see the hole in the membrane?

Here's an excellent guide for when and how to assist. I like to let nature take it's own course but sometimes there is need. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[emilyanderson]

Here's an excellent guide for when and how to assist. I like to let nature take it's own course but sometimes there is need. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

Thankyou. The duckling/egg that pipped first (closest to the front of the picture) chipped away a large piece at the bottom, but then seemed stuck. Its been chirping consistently and pushing on the membrane but I could barely see it due to how low it pipped. I rocked the incubator back this afternoon and it rolled. the membrane was completely tan coloured with dark brown spots, like burn marks. Ive kept humidity at 70-75% relative on my two Govee temp/hydrometers. I've seen consistent light condensation/fogging in the corners since lockdown so I dont understand why the membranes are so dry. The one behind it also chipped away a day after the first started and today became apparent it had the same issue.

I ended up following the hatch assist guide in a heated bathroom with the shower running hot to humidify the room. I started on the earliest pipper first and moistened the membrane with coconut oil, but it didnt turn completely translucent and more just a darker colour. I tried to pull back the membrane slightly as per the guide and stopped when I encountered very thin but red veins. I compressed the one I slightly hit with a sterile cotton bud for 5 seconds max which stopped any bleeding. Not wanting to endanger it further I chipped away a little more shell and put it back. I repeated with the second egg without hitting any veins. However I didnt want to go further on the second considering the first pipped earlier and had veins still.

Theyre back in the incubator now but the membrane is incredibly tough and drying out again. I'm at a loss of what to do now. I shone my torch inside but couldnt see much other than both of their beaks (what looked like a egg tooth at the end of the beak?) and some feathers.

I really need advice at this point so any help at all is appreciated. I desperately want to save them if I can. I'm afraid the others who have begun pipping in the 12 hours after the second (3 in addition to these two) will have the same membrane issue and wont be able to hatch unassisted.

 

[emilyanderson]

Update incase anyone has similar happen and searches the forums like I was throughout all of this.

I ended up following the hatch assist guide for all 5 pipped eggs from day 29-30. Then realised by candling last night that an additional 2 had internally pipped and also assisted them. All 7 were shrink wrapped (actually shrink wrapped by the internal membrane). The last one I discovered too late has internally pipped/was barely alive and it died within the next few hours of having the shell around the air cell chipped away. 6 are currently fluffing up in the incubator. The guide and above commenters encouragement saved my ducklings lives. 2 had also pipped the wrong end which made it incredibly difficult. Despite keeping temp between 98.5-99.8f on 3 thermometers and humidity to 50-55% for incubation and then uping to 70-75% for lockdown and never opening the incubator through lockdown, this still went wrong in everyway it could.

Now knowing what I learnt, I would ignore the never open during lockdown rule and candle the eggs if things are running late or progress stops.
Despite how traumatising the process was, hatch assist saved 6 which is more than I hoped for out of 12 shipped eggs (7 viable eggs made it to lockdown).

 

[Debbie292d]

Update incase anyone has similar happen and searches the forums like I was throughout all of this.

I ended up following the hatch assist guide for all 5 pipped eggs from day 29-30. Then realised by candling last night that an additional 2 had internally pipped and also assisted them. All 7 were shrink wrapped (actually shrink wrapped by the internal membrane). The last one I discovered too late has internally pipped/was barely alive and it died within the next few hours of having the shell around the air cell chipped away. 6 are currently fluffing up in the incubator. The guide and above commenters encouragement saved my ducklings lives. 2 had also pipped the wrong end which made it incredibly difficult. Despite keeping temp between 98.5-99.8f on 3 thermometers and humidity to 50-55% for incubation and then uping to 70-75% for lockdown and never opening the incubator through lockdown, this still went wrong in everyway it could.

Now knowing what I learnt, I would ignore the never open during lockdown rule and candle the eggs if things are running late or progress stops.
Despite how traumatising the process was, hatch assist saved 6 which is more than I hoped for out of 12 shipped eggs (7 viable eggs made it to lockdown).

You did wonderful! Congratulations!

Can we see them when they are all dry and fluffy? Tag me please!

 

[emilyanderson]

You did wonderful! Congratulations!

Can we see them when they are all dry and fluffy? Tag me please!

Thankyou, 2 days with 4 hours sleep between them was completely worth it.
I definitely will!

 

[emilyanderson]

3 had splayed legs (seemingly from being in the egg too long) and one also had wry neck along with the splayed leg and was incredibly weak. Poor little thing was still attached to part of their shell for half a day before the membrane became dry enough for me to slowly assist them free from the remaining membrane and shell which was dried to their back and stomach. I ended up separating 5 into the brooder while I treated the weak little guy with vitamin B3, Vitamin E and bandage splints. Once I got water in them and the vitamins they perked right up. Later that day they were picking their head up and I moved them to a mini brooder on my desk and I slept in my computer chair for 2 nights to treat them.
Now Lazarus (as theyve been fittingly named) is thriving and with their brothers/sisters in the main brooder. All three have been able to have their leg splints removed and are recovered well. The 6 of them just had their first stroll in the garden under my direct supervision while my wonderful partner cleaned the brooder. I am forever greatful for all the information on this site and in its posts as its been a very real lifesaver right through this process.
@Debbie292d , as promised, the pictures.