Do I have a micro duckling?

[WVduckchick]

I was also going to ask if it could possibly be a call duckling. Although, 4 days makes a big difference in the life of a duckling. Do you have any pics of the other 3 at the age that the younger one is now? It may just simply be the difference in growth, those first few weeks, they change so drastically.

@Pyxis are Welsh Harlequins usually sexable at hatch? Bill color? I forgot.

 

[Knighstar679]

I was also going to ask if it could possibly be a call duckling. Although, 4 days makes a big difference in the life of a duckling. Do you have any pics of the other 3 at the age that the younger one is now? It may just simply be the difference in growth, those first few weeks, they change so drastically.

@Pyxis are Welsh Harlequins usually sexable at hatch? Bill color? I forgot.

Most are yes the lighter bill means female and the darker means male. But there are some lines that aren't sex linked like that.

 

[Pyxis]

@Pyxis are Welsh Harlequins usually sexable at hatch? Bill color? I forgot.

For the most part yes The good show lines it is less reliable in, though. Females have a beak with a black spot at the end, and males are mostly all black.

 

[chickens really]

I've had dwarfism in Call Ducklings and it can happen in all breeds. Longest live to 6 weeks. It never feathered or grew. It looked 2 days old till it passed away.

 

[Loopeend]

I've had dwarfism in Call Ducklings and it can happen in all breeds. Longest live to 6 weeks. It never feathered or grew. It looked 2 days old till it passed away.

Is that actually genetic dwarfism? Or might the problem be that the organs for some reason don't absorb nutritients like it should?
In moest species some forms of dwarfism does not mean such an early death, and they do grow when young.
Do you have usefull links on this topic? (I'm really interested).

 

[Punkybrewster]

Ive experienced this before and the duckling didnt make it past a few weeks. Failure to thrive even with extra care and attention, he just never grew at all. Sorry for the bad news but every case is different?

 

[chickens really]

Is that actually genetic dwarfism? Or might the problem be that the organs for some reason don't absorb nutritients like it should?
In moest species some forms of dwarfism does not mean such an early death, and they do grow when young.
Do you have usefull links on this topic? (I'm really interested).

No useful links sorry. If I get anything in this years hatch I'm to bring a dead baby to the university Vet I chat with. He thinks it's genetic natural dwarfism that can happen ..Being I hatch large numbers each year and only get one or two it's nothing of a concern really.

 

[Loopeend]

No useful links sorry. If I get anything in this years hatch I'm to bring a dead baby to the university Vet I chat with. He thinks it's genetic natural dwarfism that can happen ..Being I hatch large numbers each year and only get one or two it's nothing of a concern really.

Oh how interesting! I hope you make an update of this!

 

[chickens really]

Oh how interesting! I hope you make an update of this!

If I remember too I will ? I had one hatched under a Hen but she killed it within 24 hours.

 

[casportpony]

Several weeks ago I hatched out a really small Muscovy duckling, like half the size of normal (29 grams). It spent longer in the incubator than usual, but once it wanted to eat and drink on it's own, into the brooder it went. I thought for sure it would remain freakishly small, but it did eventually catch up on size.