An unfortunate time to pip!

[oliverj102]

Checked the eggs this morning, one duck egg was definitely stalled, the other 2 chirping away.

The both pipped yesterday morning but couldn't progress, I investigated and the membrane was totally white and dried out all over. The chicks had a beak out but were shrink wrapped!

I managed to free them both but opening the air sack so they could get some momentum to pop them selfes out.

The first one has trouble lifting its head however. Its moving round but cant hold its head up. I'm drip feeding it a solution of sugar, basil and sage to give it some nutrients incase it exhausted itself but the neck thing worries me. I've currently wrapped it in a sticky bandage to keep its neck straighter.

The other is waddling round now on its belly, I'm hoping it will stand properly soon. The second went from hatch to moving in 2 hours, the first hatched 7 hours earlier and still struggling.

Any ideas on the neck? It has lifted itself up on its face but falls over again. So it's neck is strong.. just... bent down... too long in shell struggling, a defect?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

How are your ducklings doing? Hopefully, they're stronger today.

If one still has a bent neck, you may want to start offering supplemental vitamins E and B. This site has more info about wry neck that may be helpful.

 

[oliverj102]

Update: I went in the following morning to check on them, bracing myself for a dead Duckling. I went to the incubator and they were both lead next to eachother, I sat down, tapped the glass and both ducklings sprung up! The one that was unwell is a little behind the other in development but they are both looking very good still.

Because they both had assisted hatching, which I hate doing, I spoon fed each of them every hour a warm water mixture of sugar, sage and basil to boost their energy and nutrients since i was unsure how long they had been delayed int he shell.

Now they wont drink water unless its flavored like that tho haha! I gave them plain water and they stuck their beaks in then stared at me like I had poisoned them!

So Im weaning them down to plain water but giving them a little "seasoning". Both are doing very well tho, and VERY hand friendly since they spent the first 24 hours of life in my hands!

 

[cherrynberry]

Update: I went in the following morning to check on them, bracing myself for a dead Duckling. I went to the incubator and they were both lead next to eachother, I sat down, tapped the glass and both ducklings sprung up! The one that was unwell is a little behind the other in development but they are both looking very good still.

Because they both had assisted hatching, which I hate doing, I spoon fed each of them every hour a warm water mixture of sugar, sage and basil to boost their energy and nutrients since i was unsure how long they had been delayed int he shell.

Now they wont drink water unless its flavored like that tho haha! I gave them plain water and they stuck their beaks in then stared at me like I had poisoned them!

So Im weaning them down to plain water but giving them a little "seasoning". Both are doing very well tho, and VERY hand friendly since they spent the first 24 hours of life in my hands!

That’s great! I usually give chicks elecrtrolyte water for 1-2 weeks in their life anyways, regardless of health. By 2 weeks old, I try to get them immune to coccidia.

 

[oliverj102]

I think ill give them the added water just in case. Call ducks seem so much more fragile then chickens. But so much cuter!! They are desperate to swim too, their water bowl is getting refilled hourly as they are splashing the water out of it. Its very shallow tho so they cant get wet in it.