duckling hatching in my bra but need urgently as hatching

[dubaiducks]

The second egg/ duckling update : It was not the wrong way around in there after all, because its beak has split the membrane. Every now and then they chirp. They are not doing too much, except the odd chirp and squirm. I have them in a bowl with a warm lamp over them, but a damp cloth over the holes, so that they don't dry out.
I am going to bed now, so will be worried all night about whether they dry out, whether they are too warm or too cold, etc. But the naughty cat has been put into a separate room so it can't go for them.
Here's hoping they are not dead in the morning. I can't figure out how they would be strong enough to get out of the egg shell.
night.

 

[WindyHillFarm]

Hi! Wow, what a story. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will go well with the hatch. You couldn't have come to a better place for help!

 

[BantamLover21]

I'm glad you joined our community!

The other members have given you some excellent advice. Good luck with the duckling!

 

[dubaiducks]

Ok Could do with a little advice. I have played the waiting game mostly. When the veins were no longer visible and the duckling seems to be stretching to get out, have gently peeled away some more shell, and the outer membrane. The inner membrane I let the duck break itself and now have managed to peel away some. I am attaching a photo. They are under a lamp but with a wet cloth over the hole so they stay moist on the membranes. Last night and this morning they were too cool, and after putting the lamp closer, they have advanced to this stage.
Please let me know....

 

[dubaiducks]

Ps - these ducklings are a mixture of a suspected aylesbury ( mama ) and an Indian runner ( papa ). Goodness knows what they will turn out like !
I will try to take photos.

 

[dubaiducks]

Now that I read this site, I worry that I have not given the ducks the right food. I buy a ready made poultry pellet. So far all my ducks have always been happy with that with a chopped parsley or salad addition. I have put the other six ducklings outside with the big ducks and mama ( they are protected by a run ) and they have the same pellets dissolved in some water, and then some water on the side. We don't really have all those other things this site talks about. Niacin ??? crumbs ?? Shall I additionally give them organic small oats, soaked in water ?

 

[the1913trio]

I am so sorry, I ended up really busy with health issues with a grandmother and am just back to checking on how you are doing. Hope everything is okay. What is the status of the two ducklings?

That was a very good pic you took of the two eggs and AWESOME job with the hatching assistance! The general rule after you let them wait/gave it plenty of time and checked things out is to go ahead and chip away at more shell, outer membrane, and inner membrane super slowly. Do a small bit and wait for bleeding for several seconds. If there is no active bleeding when cutting into each of these layers in order, then proceed to the next segment of shell so on an so forth. When all of the top of the shell is unzipped successfully with no bleeding to the membranes do one last check before pulling the baby out, and/or wait for the baby to pull itself out as the whole top of the shell will be removed and all they need to do is push themselves out. But, if you are pulling the duckling out, do so slowly and get a look at the umbilical site before you pop it out of the egg fully and separate its belly button/umbilical site from the shell. If the belly button hasn't fully closed and there is still what looks like pinkish "guts" hanging outside the abdomen or there is still some yolk outside the abdomen trying to be absorbed in wait before removing them! Slide them back in the shell with the top off and wait for them to decide when to come out as they will push out when the yolk, etc have been absorbed into the abdomen. When the duckling has absorbed its yolk and belly into the belly button correctly you will only see what looks like a greenish/pinkish/clearish looking string of mucous attaching the baby belly button to the shell's inner membrane and this can be snipped off with clean scissors if needed.

In regards to the food you do want to be careful with niacin with ducklings especially. They grow so fast their bones can end up bowed and/or not strong enough if they do not get enough niacin. I read in the books that the ducks will obtain niacin from insects and plants outside if they can forage, but it is kind of hard to know for sure with this if they are getting enough niacin (esp ducklings), and it can depend on the time of year as to whether they are getting enough from foraging. You want to have the baby ducklings on a "game bird grower feed", and then you want to add a niacin supplement (check out other threads or the "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks" by Holderread book which is a GREAT resource to have!). I can't remember the exact doses of protein and niacin for different ages of ducklings/ducks since I haven't raised ducklings/ducks in about a year and went to only chickens, but I know there are online resources, threads on BYC here, and books handy too. The ducklings can get additional niacin I believe from brewer's yeast added in certain doses to feed, or from taking human vitamins and adding them to water or feed (but check on the dosing of that since I don't remember the dose). The ducklings also need much more protein than the adult ducks, and if I remember correctly the first couple of weeks they need something like 24% ish protein in their feed. After that the dose goes down a bit every week or two-ish till they are grown...and then the protein needed goes back up a bit again for ducks that are laying eggs. That is why the game bird feed grower is used on ducklings since it has around a 28 to 24% protein content usually depending on brand, and most folks will add in a bit of non-medicated baby chick starter feed to bring down the protein content of the game bird feed slowly as the ducklings get older and they need slightly lower amounts of protein. Be sure the game bird feed is non-medicated as well. Although I have heard that generally they won't overdose on the amprolium in newer medicated feeds, but it is still a good precaution usually since ducklings can eat so much and have too high a dose of coccidostat. I would also be sure too that your laying ducks have a feed with high enough protein and calcium, as I know their needs are more than a regular adult ducks too just when actively laying eggs. The duck books give the protein and calcium % needs for your actively laying ducks, and I believe there are threads on her as well talking about this.

Hope that helps! Let me know how it went, I am really, really curious!