I will update on my duckie that is still in the hatcher with images or video
I finally took him out of the shell, despite the humidity of 85% he has not drawn in or utilized his yolk.
He had gunk and membranes dried all over him and his sack, so I ran warm water over him and did my best to dry him without disturbing his drying yolk sack.
I have been spraying his yolk sack GENEROUSLY with veterycin umbilical gel WARMED every 2 hours since about 5 am, and spraying the paper towel I have in his cup also very generously with the veterycin umbilical gel. He is very very alert and very strong, if it hadnt been for this I would have culled him by now. I am amazed to be honest. I put a few little grow gel balls in his mouth and offered warm provits solution afterwards and the little stinker actually ate it! and I am trying to offer it every 15 minutes.
Last time I checked his navel/umbilical yolk is now drying fast and seems to be absorbing more and only a small stump like thing remains, but I do see the yolk in the abdomen and its protruding and not sure I should see it like that. but again its receding, I hope I can get a pic of it next time I change his papertowl and spray his yolk.
I am torn with this ducky, I really need to sterilize that incubator because I should be moving my next hatch into it, tomorrow is day 18 and some are serama. maybe I will dig out the styro and bring it upstairs to keep the little booger in.
CURRENT duck eggs in cabinet......tomorrow is weighday today is 13 I am still worried about weight loss in the next batch, I can suggest to dont be shy on sanding and dont use the smaller grits like I did! AND for sure its better to sand the eggs before you set them than during like I have too! That jarring cant be good. I am learning big time. I may actually dig out my dremel and buy special grits should I do these eggs again just so I dont have to jar around the eggs.
video and pics later of the sick duck
You're *way* more experienced than I am, but after I lost two ducklings to yolk sack infections (E. coli confirmed by UC Davis necropsy), I've decided to treat any that don't hatch cleanly with Baytril, and so far I think it's saved a couple. The dose I feel comfortable using is 10mg/kg by mouth twice a day, which can be a little tricky with small ducklings and 10% Baytril.
-Kathy