*Died* Preemie duckling rejected with yolk sack to absorb Help Please

[Miss Lydia]

She was the last and the only one to hatch out. All the others quit at various stages and a few infertiles went rotten. A community of 4, one drake and 3 ducks, just turned a year old. They were all by appearances and observation, dedicated but I left them be until day 21, not wanting to disrupt their instincts to see if they'd take hold. It wasn't planned, the first duck went broody and I decided to let her, then the others followed, even the drake but he's only ever known his girls so he's a pretty nice drake.

In hindsight I've read a lot where the community thing can go awry and why. And sometimes it works. I don't regret letting them try, they were amazing to watch in their bonded determination. I'm sad that it didn't work out because they didn't get the end result of ducklings so I don't know if they will ever brood successfully after that. I work with rescue dogs so I may be over thinking the duck's reaction but it kinda makes sense, they are bonded animals.

I believe they will try again, but to make the next one work why not give 1 broody a chance at hatch by giving her her own space. My Muscovy's will not tolerate another one getting anywhere near their nest so I don't have that problem but when one or more do sit the same nest things just like this happen not any ones fault but the ducks start jostling around and an egg gets cracked before time and the duckling hatches before it's ready. So to make it a great experience for everyone including you next time give first to go broody her own little space. My ducks sleep in stalls so when one goes broody she has her own space which has worked out well except a couple of my girls share one and that means I have to find the kicked out duck her own sleeping space. Thankfully I have a small coop[chickens first house] that has worked as sleep over till brood is up. I just keep the door open to the stall that way they can come and go as they want too. Sometimes the other girls will slip in and lay their eggs in a nest so I mark all egg laid so I can keep up with fresh ones and won't have any duckling half cooked when the first hatch and get left in the nest. Hope next time you'll be reward with some ducklings nothing sweeter than a mama with babies in tow.

Let us know if it happens.

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss.

This looks like yolk yo me:


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here I don't see a yolk, but I do see what look like fly eggs or maybe small maggots:


-Kathy

 

[CMRDucks]

I believe they will try again, but to make the next one work why not give 1 broody a chance at hatch by giving her her own space. My Muscovy's will not tolerate another one getting anywhere near their nest so I don't have that problem but when one or more do sit the same nest things just like this happen not any ones fault but the ducks start jostling around and an egg gets cracked before time and the duckling hatches before it's ready. So to make it a great experience for everyone including you next time give first to go broody her own little space. My ducks sleep in stalls so when one goes broody she has her own space which has worked out well except a couple of my girls share one and that means I have to find the kicked out duck her own sleeping space. Thankfully I have a small coop[chickens first house] that has worked as sleep over till brood is up. I just keep the door open to the stall that way they can come and go as they want too. Sometimes the other girls will slip in and lay their eggs in a nest so I mark all egg laid so I can keep up with fresh ones and won't have any duckling half cooked when the first hatch and get left in the nest. Hope next time you'll be reward with some ducklings nothing sweeter than a mama with babies in tow.

Let us know if it happens.

Thanks Miss Lydia, I will definitely have to rework their housing in order to have any ability to separate them for a brooding cycle and I'm not sure how that would work. They have been constantly together since hatch and they share a 2.5' x 4' dog house for egg laying and sleeping/shelter. Their secure pen is 10' x 20' so they are never confined to the dog house. It's too small to divide for separate nests and sleeping area. I'll have to give it some thought as to what I could modify that may work.

When you say stalls, do you mean like barn stalls? That would be awesome. Two ducks were molting and not laying when the one went broody. I thought she would defend her space but they seem to do everything as a group.

And how on earth do people mark the eggs lol - I couldn't even get a sharpie to write on them, they seem to have too much oils from the ducks.

 

[CMRDucks]

Here I don't see a yolk, but I do see what look like fly eggs or maybe small maggots:


-Kathy

Hi Kathy,
I thought they were seeds from the straw and grasses in the enclosure and they were only apparent in the photo. In hindsight, yes I believe they were eggs. I wasn't going to go there, but this photo is the first day. The photo you said looked like yolk is from the morning of the second day and what the bubble on her belly turned into overnight. I'm suspecting they had hatched and buried into this area. Shortly after the first photo you posted was taken, they appeared externally as larva and were the cause of her death. They were about the size of this dash _ very small, very numerous and rather horrific.

I have boiled everything she came in contact with and burned the box. I buried her deeply. I am glad whatever they were, did not hatch in my ducks pen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Kathy,
I thought they were seeds from the straw and grasses in the enclosure and they were only apparent in the photo. In hindsight, yes I believe they were eggs. I wasn't going to go there, but this photo is the first day. The photo you said looked like yolk is from the morning of the second day and what the bubble on her belly turned into overnight. I'm suspecting they had hatched and buried into this area. Shortly after the first photo you posted was taken, they appeared externally as larva and were the cause of her death. They were about the size of this dash _ very small, very numerous and rather horrific.

I have boiled everything she came in contact with and burned the box. I buried her deeply. I am glad whatever they were, did not hatch in my ducks pen.

Oh gosh and I thought it was bits of straw. Maggots are awful to deal with. so sorry.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Miss Lydia, I will definitely have to rework their housing in order to have any ability to separate them for a brooding cycle and I'm not sure how that would work. They have been constantly together since hatch and they share a 2.5' x 4' dog house for egg laying and sleeping/shelter. Their secure pen is 10' x 20' so they are never confined to the dog house. It's too small to divide for separate nests and sleeping area. I'll have to give it some thought as to what I could modify that may work.

When you say stalls, do you mean like barn stalls? That would be awesome. Two ducks were molting and not laying when the one went broody. I thought she would defend her space but they seem to do everything as a group.

And how on earth do people mark the eggs lol - I couldn't even get a sharpie to write on them, they seem to have too much oils from the ducks.

Here is a pic of one stall

nothing fancy but since at one time I had 4 drakes we had to keep the boys separate so stalls were worked into the building now the girls love them for brooding and sleeping. and the one here just brooded a mama chicken and her 2 chicks so they work for others things too. lol

Maybe you could build something along side the dog house that would be safe and give the girls a place to lay and brood? Sharpie worked for my duck eggs.not sure what else could be used.
It's sweet the girls want to do every thing as a group but sometimes it doesn't work out so well for the ducklings.

 

[Lacrystol]

Here I don't see a yolk, but I do see what look like fly eggs or maybe small maggots:


-Kathy

YES, I think your RIGHT, WOW, I totally MISSED THAT, Yep looks like eggs for sure.. GOOD EYE KATHY...

 

[casportpony]

Quote:
So I have a trick for viewing pics... I do a right mouse click "open in new window" and the picture is much easier to see.

-Kathy

 

[Miss Lydia]

So I have a trick for viewing pics... I do a right mouse click "open in new window" and the picture is much easier to see.

-Kathy

When the OP mentioned bits of straw that is what I saw they really don't look like eggs to me but I haven't seen that many either. Very good eye Kathy.