Broken unabsorbed yolk sac.

[duckyfromoz]

I got home from work today to find the duckling that had started unzipping when I left for work still not hatched but with a very big hole in the top of the egg. I turned on the torch for a better look and realised the egg was full of liquid. Poor little guy had broken the yolk sac and would have drown if I had not intervened. I tipped out what fluid I could and tried to dry around her face with a cotton bud and put her back into the incubator. Half an hour later after kicking with one free leg she was out of the egg and the risk of drowning was at least over. She still has the yolk sac attached- and may not make it- But I am hopeful she may pull through.

I have had ducklings not hatch before and had some drown before hatching too and wonder if it has ever happened before or if this is the first time I have seen it. It could explain why I have lost some in the past, as I dont open every egg to see what may have gone wrong.

Has anyone else ever had a duckling break the yolk sac while trying to hatch??

 

[mrslb333]

Oh no

I had one that hatched very early with the yolk sac still attached but the yolk oozing out I kept him wrapped in damp cloth in the shell for 3 days feeding him mashed egg yolk and sugar water he was really weak and looked like he wouldn't survive but amazingly pulled through. He's running round the garden causing trouble at the moment he is a lot smaller than the others but seems healthy enough.
Just make sure you help it with hydration and the extra food it'll need now it has no yolk I had to mix the yolk with the water till it was virtually liquid and fed from a syringe, I tried just the yolk on it's own but it would only take fluids. I did try to open his bill to see he would swallow some but it wasn't as easy as you'd think ,lol.
I really hope this little one pulls through

 

[duckyfromoz]

She is still doing ok in there for now- and has a friend to keep her company for now. She is tiny too- and seems to have good strength. I guess time will tell. It was such an awful mess before- but she is fluffing up and looking better now.