The Quack Shack

[Supercow]

I make emergency breathing holes as soon as i can see an internal pip - a little bill moving inside the air-bubble. More oxygen for the duxling = more power = better chance to zip all by itself.

I'm worried because soon it will be 36 hours since the attempted external pips. We are not really seeing any progress vs. 12 hours ago when we made the holes, just some chirping every so often. It is early morning here.

I directed some lights at the incubators now as I read that light can motivate the ducklings to hatch. Through the holes we made I can see some movement but it's like they are just sitting in there like nah we're good not getting out tnx.

At what time (48 h?) do you stop waiting for zips, and what do you do then? Just open the shells (the part over the air sac), regardless of any risk, because the alternative is that they would die of exhaustion anyway?

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Patience is a virtue with ducks. They take a long time to hatch. Mine take up to 72 hours. As long as they have safety holes and are not scream peeping don't worry yet.

 

[Supercow]

One little miss duckling hatched

1 not really moving, not having high hopes for that one
12 to go

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

@Supercow I'm so excited for you. I know the waiting is the worst part. I think the ducklings enjoy torturing us with slowness. And I usually have that first one full of cuteness and loneliness for up to 24 hours before a companion makes an appearance. A little stuffy for her if you have one to put with her in the broader may keep the screaming down.

 

[Supercow]

The first little lady is by now quite vivacious, pokes her bill around, tries to clean herself ... We also have another one and others seem to be very much alive, for the most part, except one egg that we opened when we were sure the duckling shows no signs of life and it was definitely "unfinished".

 

[Supercow]

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

That egg to her right doesn't look good how do you feel about it

 

[Luv Ducks]

That egg to her right doesn't look good how do you feel about it

I thought that the gray spot was where it was trying to pip in the wrong place. That is what mine looked like and I never knew to put a pin hole in the gray spot to give it air and I lost them.

 

[Luv Ducks]

One little miss duckling hatched

1 not really moving, not having high hopes for that one
12 to go

View attachment 4089003

She is beautiful. They take a long time to rest and recover from all of the work of getting out of the shells. Such a pretty baby.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I just got my first ever incubator and I plugged it in and started it up to let it run and check the temperature inside. I put little the thermometer hydrometers inside where the eggs go and the temperature is 1.6° lower than what the machine is reading on the top is that going to be a problem? Do I need to set the machine hotter?