Baby duckling having some trouble hatching, any ideas?

[Farm Bird]

Hi everyone! We have a duckling due to hatch today but made it's first external crack in the shell at least 30 hours ago. So here's what I have done. I watched it carefully for 10 hours after I noticed the crack and there was no change so I wrapped him in a warm wet paper towel and made it a little air hole by removing a little piece of shell and membrane then watched again. At the 24 hour mark, there was still no progress so I chipped away the shell around the air cell area. This is where the original little crack was. His beak is out and I removed a little of the membrane too. I did catch a small vessel while doing this and tiny pinprick of blood appeared so I stopped. I can see it in there breathing and moving its beak as well as wiggling around but it's now been about 30 hours since the originally little crack made by the duckling. I'm terrified it's still absorbing the yolk so I haven't dared go any farther than its little beak as far as chipping away shell. It is peeping occasionally but kind of weak sounding. Should I leave the little guy be for now and wait? Please help me help this little guy!

 

[Farm Bird]

Well, I've continued chipping away the shell little by little as I don't know what else to do. I don't keep him out of the bator for long because I don't want to chill him. So far I can see how he's rolled up in there, a wing tip and the toes of one foot. He's breathing and responds to me when I talk. He seems to be trying to help get out of there but I have found a couple of places the membrane is really stuck to him. I'm guessing that is the problem, that he's stuck and can't free himself. No sign of yolk remanants yet so I'm hoping and hoping this goes well. Please, if you have any advice let me know! This little baby is scaring me to death!

 

[Farm Bird]

So... 8 hours later, the duckling is free from the shell for the most part. He's still got a small portion of the lower shell. He also appears to have part of the yolk still visible. I haven't messed with the little thing any further and I'm hoping he absorbs the rest of the yolk successfully. Any tips out there? Anyone?

 

[Farm Bird]

Well, I'm going to google and see if I can find anything to help this baby. I don't know what to do about the yolk thing and he seems to still be attached to the bottom part of the shell. I don't know what to do now. Hopefully I can find some help googling.

 

[Farm Bird]

Hello out there! I just wanted to post a follow up in the event that someone else had this problem and was reading this looking for help. I tried google but really found nothing much helpful SO... I just played it by ear. I decided that the yolk part, which was not busted, should probably remain moist so I wet a paper towel with warm water, wrapped the little guys lower half with shell piece in that. I also wrapped a soft cloth, the softest I could find in cotton, around the wet paper towel. I then placed the little guy in a coffee cup (I read another post on here the recommended that) and stuck him back in the incubator. It's been about 24 hours now and it looks like most of the yolk has absorbed! Only an itty bit remains. There is still a vein like thing going from the yolk to that shell piece. I really don't know what that is but it's drying up and looks like it should fall off anytime now. I was terrified to pull it or cut it so hopefully I did that right! I check on him from time to time making sure all is well and I have taken the wet paper towel away leaving just the soft cloth and cup. He's really hyper right now and talkative! He can stand and hop too but I'm trying to prevent that with the cup until things are dried up better, lol! I'm not sure if this is what should have been done or not but it seems to have worked! Maybe it will help someone in the future though. I really think this little guy is going to be fine and healthy!

 

[Mostlycats]

I'm having the same issue! I have one that started Monday and doesn't seem to be making progress. It's talking and breathing so I'm just waiting a little longer

 

[Farm Bird]

I'm crossing my fingers for you Mostlycats! I didn't know hatching could be so stressful, lol! I thought my little one was going to give me a nervous breakdown but he turned out absolutely fine! He absorbed all the yolk and the umbilical cord looking thing dried up and fell off. He's doing great! Hopefully yours will too! It can be so scary for sure! I've got turkey poults due to hatch today. I started with six but two turned out infertile, a third died about two weeks in and I think one of the three that made it has died too. It looks like out of six I'm only getting two.

They were shipped eggs though so that probably had a lot to do with it. I was so hoping for three... That does give me an excuse to hatch more though, lol! Again, good luck and I'm hoping everything goes great for you!

 

[Mostlycats]

Thank you so much, sorry to hear that you lost some turkey babies my eggs were shipped to and yes I think that affects them for developing. Thanks again I will keep you posted!