Call duckling - deformed bill

[Percipen]

Thanks for the update!! What a little cutie. I'm so glad hes doing well

 

[lobbstertael]

It's eyes look off too

I had a call duck hen sitting on eggs that decided, for whatever reason, to give up the nest. I checked the eggs and several were still viable, so I put them in the incubator. This one hatched yesterday, but it has a deformed bill. I hope it will be able to eat and drink... so far it is doing well. Very active, and has a sibling helping it along. I thought I’d start a thread to monitor it, and invite anyone who has experienced this, or is just interested in the outcome, to tag along.
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I had almost exactly the same deal- took 20 eggs from my lazy (crazy) mallard mama; 10 were still viable but in different stages of development. 8 hatched normally, the last didn't pip. This one popped but couldn't finish the job- when I helped him, I found out why!

 

[lobbstertael]

I had almost exactly the same deal- took 20 eggs from my lazy (crazy) mallard mama; 10 were still viable but in different stages of development. 8 hatched normally, the last didn't pip. This one popped but couldn't finish the job- when I helped him, I found out why!

 

[lobbstertael]

@Wyorp Rock I had one call duckling this year which had this at one side of his/her bill and died before hatching (see right white duckling). Someone I know who has many many calls had one this year too. The little one did not survive. So I keep my fingers crossed for yours.

Although my adult ducks do not show symptoms it is suspicious for folic acid deficiency within the breeder duck. Because I also had 3 pullets die just after internal pipping

Poultry DMV says:
"Folic-deficient breeder hens tend to produce chicken embryos that die immediately after pipping the air cell while in the later stages of incubation."

and:

"A deformed beak and bending of the tibiotarsus are signs of the embryonic deficiency, which occurs as a result of folic acid deficient breeding chickens."

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/folic-acid-deficiency


I will definitely supplement my ducks more folic acid from now on and especially next breeding season to try to prevent this from happening.

[Edit:I wonder if you could think of other reasons for this to happen...]
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My thought on this is that when the eggs were taken from the duck, there maybe was enough disruption in the temperature and such that it didn't develop right. I had 8 normal ducklings and 1 with a beak like that; they were at different stages of development when I took the eggs and hatched over the course of about a week. My guy was the last to hatch, with one other late egg not hatching.

 

[lobbstertael]

That egg goo sometimes gets stuck and makes the down look like that until they have their first bath. I've had several I thought looked weird for a while like that.

My "Long John Silver" the pirate duck with a beak like that does have a squinty eye- it gets a little goopy sometimes but seems alright. Here are both sides of his head...

 

[WVduckchick]

My "Long John Silver" the pirate duck with a beak like that does have a squinty eye- it gets a little goopy sometimes but seems alright. Here are both sides of his head...

Very cute!! How is he doing now?
And I agree with the theory of the disruption of the development. I’ve rescued eggs from hens many times without the issue, so I believe it’s a timing thing, stage of development at the time.

 

[lobbstertael]

Very cute!! How is he doing now?
And I agree with the theory of the disruption of the development. I’ve rescued eggs from hens many times without the issue, so I believe it’s a timing thing, stage of development at the time.

He's growing and happy- his tongue sticks out the side a little and gets kinda dry, wish I could do something about that but I can't imagine what. He's in with my bantam chicks- for some reason they love ducklings!

 

[lobbstertael]

He's growing and happy- his tongue sticks out the side a little and gets kinda dry, wish I could do something about that but I can't imagine what. He's in with my bantam chicks- for some reason they love ducklings!

Here's a current pic of Long John Duckling! He's getting huge.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Aww so glad to see him doing well!

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Here's a current pic of Long John Duckling! He's getting huge.

He’s adorable! Glad to hear he’s doing well!