Call duckling ""stuck"" in ""hatch mode""?

[alpinewelsummer]

Hey all!

Our last call duck of the batch finally hatched today (day 29). Internally pipped day 25, safety hole added day 26, "zipped" a bit for her day 27 after no progress and upped humidity even more to make sure she didn't dry out.

Day 29: no progress. Veins all absorbed and shell cracks easily, so I make just enough of a hole to peek in and see her. She's curled up but pushing VERY hard to get out, with a bit of membrane "pinning" her head in place. We crack just a little more to reach in and gently pull back the membrane (no veins, no blood, everything absorbed), and sure enough her head "springs" out and her neck unfurls.

Thinking her little head was simply stuck, we place her back to let her do the rest on her own. 2 hours pass, she indeed hatches on her own fine, I think everything is fine.

Only she never ends up standing up, just lays on her side occasionally kicking her trembling legs and curling her head back to her chest again. 4 hours have passed and she's very lively--peeping, looking at things, accepting the bit of nutridrench and water I gave her... but she's still curling her head to her chest and kicking her legs, and can't stand up either.

I thought at first that she was seizing, but after looking at multiple "duck seizure" posts on here, seizures seem to be more throwing the head back and jerking. She really just seems like she's still pushing trying to get out of her shell, curling her head and kicking her legs like she's pushing out of the egg again. It's almost like she doesn't realize that she's out now? What could be wrong and what should I do? Should I have helped sooner? I was so scared to over-assist but I feel like I held off too long instead

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Pyxis

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

It takes a little over 24 hours for call ducklings to get their balance figured out after an assisted hatch.

 

[alpinewelsummer]

It takes a little over 24 hours for call ducklings to get their balance figured out after an assisted hatch.

Oh! That's such a relief--she's starting to straighten her neck out more, too, so I hope that's indeed the problem! Thank you

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Oh! That's such a relief--she's starting to straighten her neck out more, too, so I hope that's indeed the problem! Thank you

The vitamins help too.

 

[alpinewelsummer]

UPDATE: she's not doing much better this morning. We think on top of the balance issue she might have wry neck. She can stand a little now, briefly, but her head still flops. She also trembles when she tries to move, like her little muscles are straining. We're going to give a bit of brewer's yeast supplement but it's also getting harder to make her accept water, vitamins, ect.