Dewlap Exhibition Toulouse-Incubation Diary with Pics! Hatch Day!!!

[pete55]

Hi Victoria

Im afraid you've assisted too early but I understand its not easy but this is why timing is crucial. Today Im going to do a series of diagrams to help and hopefully post them this evening.

Now to your poorly gosling;

Get it out of that bag and into a clean box lined with clean bedding, Im thinking of an old fashioned nappy.

Leave the unabsorbed yolk alone - it will not absorb now.

Sray the yolk sac with Iodine Dry Powder Spray available from Pharmacies for open wounds. Comes in an aerosol and dries as a powder. Repeat spary 4 hourly.

Also get some sterile guaze to lie the baby's navel area on.

Also get a can of Saline for irrigating open wounds while you're at the Pharmacy.

Keep the gosling warm and DRY. You need to spray iodine onto the yolk sac and naval area then place a small 1 inch guaze over the navel. This is to prevent the yolk sac sticking to its bedding. When checking or re-applying the iodine then simply soak the dressing with the Saline to make removal easy. Pat the area dry with a sterile swab and spray the iodine again.

The principle is to dry the yolk sac while maintaining low cross infection risk. The baby will need lots of warmth and rest. If the baby recovers the yolk sac will shrivel and fall off as a scab in 7 -10 days.

The gosling will be weak from any blood loss and it's programmed not to be so active as not at its hatching time. With warmth and rest it may regain some strength and start to move itself about more. I have to be honest and tell you that the prognosis for this gosling is not good and I estimate a 25% chance of survival. For now simply TLC - Tender Loving Care

Hope that helps you and the baby.

Pete

 

[Balbinka]

Quote:
Depending on how old the gosling is, offering Gatorade or another source of electrolytes is also good.
It's what saved Brizney's life. She was born so weak. We didn't even see her open her eyes until she was two days old.

Now, at four days old- you would never guess she almost died!

PS

I love listening to Pete's advice!

 

[star2525]

Hi Pete,

I just checked on the Gosling and it managed to get itself out of the baggie and was laying on the floor of the hatching tray, its yolk sack is almost completely absorbed, only a dry slight outward bump to the area left now, eyes are not open yet, I picked it up and took a small pill bottle cap filled with water and put its bill in the water, it did drink a little, so did that a couple of times and it is now resting on the floor of the hatching tray with all shell fragments removed. The Quik Stop coogulated the blood immediately and I put a good amount on all over the area including what I am assuming to be the imbilical cord area. I'll be going out here pretty shortly in the next hour and will get some Gatorade to try and give that to it, its currently resting and peeping every so often, it is weak for sure, I was surprised to find it out of the baggie, it really had to work to accomplish that.

What is an old fashioned Nappy like?

I have old fashioned Iodine from my Great Grandmother still in a small bottle in the cupboard, and I have Saline Solution, and I have sterile guaze here. Currently the area is dry though, should I go ahead and still use the Iodine to put over it, how do I keep the guaze on with it moving about?
For now the warmest place closest to its hatching temperature is inside of the Incubator, so that is where it is currently, I don't think its ready to be 5 degrees cooler than that just yet.

Victoria

Balbinka,

What flavor of Gatorade did you get? I was thinking something like Cherry flavored might be good.

 

[Balbinka]

Quote:
It was a pink/red variety.
Strawberry or Cherry. Briz definitely liked it.

 

[star2525]

Pete,

I almost forgot to mention I don't use bedding for any of my goslings, I have them in a tote on dry towels, I tried that with Pistol and Audrey when I first got them and they was chewing away at the bedding and had to remove bedding pieces from their bills, so after that I went to the Dollar Store and purchased Cheap Bath Towels, I kept 3 totes going for them, one for at night when I slept, when I got up I took them out of that one and they followed me to the next room and put them in another one I had set up before I went to work, when I came home from work I took them out of that one and put them in the other one I had ready and then cleaned up the other 2 totes and washed the towels and dryed them and remade the totes up for the following day. My Goslings first 4 to 5 weeks are spent inside with me as much as possible, I take them outside for about an hour at a time to see what the grass is and their surrounding area, I never leave them unattended if at all possible. Somewhere around 3 weeks old I fill my BathTub with warm water and they get their first swim, I keep the water at a level they can touch their feet on the bottom of the tub, even at that depth on Audreys first swim she went completely underwater and was zipping around the BathTub like a Submarine underwater and loving it.

Victoria

 

[star2525]

I'm thinking Power Aide rather than Gatorade, pretty sure it has B Vitamins in it, and I'll look for Cherry or Strawberry, I think there is a Cherry one.

Victoria

 

[pete55]

Victoria - As the gosling has made strides to free itself from the bag it does improve its chance of survival. As the yolk sac has reduced and is drying there is no need for the gauze dressing. I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Iodine Dry Powder Spay, an essential part of my hatching tool kit. Spraying the area will keep it dry and reduce the chance of a naval infection.

Yes, keep this gosling in the incubator for at least 24 hours but not on the harsh mesh as it has tender naval area. Get a plastic box to fit inside and line with a clean towel (thats what an old fashioned diaper/nappy is).

Follow the sound advice from Balbinka and boost the youngster with a few drinks of an oral hydration solution (dont know the brands you have in the USA). After a few regular drinks the gosling should regain some strength. You can then switch to plain water to maintain hydration. Dont rush to feed as you want the gosling to start drawing on the reserves of the yolk sac that it did draw into its abdominal cavity.

The yolk is rich in iron and this will be converted to haemoglobin readily and therefore replacing the blood loss. Normal feeding can commence in 24 hours if the gosling is progressing.

You're doing well and I greatly admire your efforts, unfortunately I cant be there to fully assess the situation and guide you as there's the small matter of a few thousand miles between us!!!

Pete

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Unflavored PediaLyte works really well, too.

 

[DaveK]

Pete, first of all CONGRATULATIONS

on having those two Toulouse eggs become full fledged goslings. Hopefully they will both be something that you will find useful in the future. And be joined by others. Also, big THANKS

for this interesting and informative thread. We both seem to deal with things the same way and have to be concerned about dry down or the lack of it. This for some reason has been the spring of incubation inquiries and once your thread was up and going I could do no better than refer folks here. Really great stuff if they want to truly understand what's going on in there. All this information is out there but you've put it here in an easy to read and very understandable way. Plus, the diary format made it fun, especially with the happy ending.

My own first hatch has now come off and like you there was some concern about those air cells. But sometimes we get lucky. Hopefully you have more Toulouse on the way as well as the poultry, some Rouens from that nice hen and eventually the tortoises. Seems like you keep busy.

 

[star2525]

Hi Everybody,

Just wanted to update you on my Gosling, it's been drinking Power Aide Fruit Punch and is now up and standing eyes are starting to come more open. Was thrilled to see it standing, still will be getting a good amount of TLC for sure, just wanted to let you all know.

I'll try to get some pictures in the next couple of days if possible.

Victoria