Duck egg just hatched - looks like there's yolk left behind?

[DaisySteiner]

As the title says, my very first duck egg has hatched (I'm SO excited). The duckling is staggering about in the incubator and looks OK. The egg looks as though it's got some yolk left inside. I thought that they were supposed to absorb all the yolk on their own? It's a while since I hatched chicken eggs but from memory they were pretty empty when they hatched. I'm worried that this little one didn't absorb all the yolk and so might be weak. He's pecking at the floor like he's hungry - is that normal? I was planning to leave him in there til he's all dried out, but should I maybe give him some food?!

Thanks so much.

 

[agregg15]

He should be fine. I've never hatched ducklings before, but I'm pretty sure they don't have to eat for the next 24-48 hours because they've eatten the yolk. I would just leave him alone and allow him to dry and steady himself.

 

[DaisySteiner]

Thanks for your reply. I'm sure you're right and he'll be fine. I'm a nervous 'hatcher' at the best of times and I'm beyond excited about these ducklings as their parents were killed (along with all our lovely chickens) by a fox about 4 1/2 weeks ago. I found an undiscovered nest a couple of days later and, along with the duck eggs in the fridge, decided to try my luck at hatching out some babies. So they're very special ducklings to me

(husband is totally

about it all!)

 

[agregg15]

I'm sorry you lost the parents and your chickens. I'm crossing my fingers for your little birdies

 

[AdamD77]

Congratulations! All 4 of mine had a little blob of goo left over in them after the ducklings hatched. It was my first hatch and I just assumed it was normal...

 

[calgal98]

My little early bird also had a little blob left. I moved him out of the incubator as soon as he was hatched (he wasn't supposed to be due for another month--long story) and just pinched it off so he wouldn't drag it around. The duckling is fine and got much stronger the 2nd and subsequent days. They are really spazzes at first