Duck hatch emergency!! Help!!

[Uhlhomestead]

About 2 weeks into our first attempt at letting a broody khaki Campbell hatch a clutch I read that they are NOT reliable moms and now on day 31 I see why. We were down to 1 egg (from the 8we originally gave her). I could tell there was a living duckling inside so I wasn't too worried when we went past the expected hatch date. After all, mom wasn't exactly steadfast about staying on the nest and on several occasions I found the egg rolled out of the nest into the corner of the duck house unattended. I was thrilled to see what I thought was a pip yesterday (but equally convinced it could just be an injury from being rolled around incessantly). Tonight i go out to check and the poor thing has been rolled out onto the cool duck run floor, shell smashed to bits, and I can hear a faint cheeping inside. The yolk hasn't been completely absorbed yet and while the poor critter seems completely exhausted and isn't moving much she is breathing and opening her eyes. So here's the question... What now?!? Mom obviously can't be trusted to care for her. Is there anti by I can do at this point to possibly help?!

 

[bobbi-j]

Do you have it in an incubator? I don't have ducks, but that would make sense to me. Keep the humidity up - I don't know what the proper humidity for duck hatching is, though... @Ravynscroft or @Pyxis - any ideas?

 

[Uhlhomestead]

Here she is

 

[bobbi-j]

Oh, I guess I didn't realize it was completely out of the egg. (That would make sense if the egg was smashed, though.)

 

[Uhlhomestead]

Do you have it in an incubator? I don't have ducks, but that would make sense to me. Keep the humidity up - I don't know what the proper humidity for duck hatching is, though... @Ravynscroft or @Pyxis - any ideas?

We do, but it's currently housing a batch of chicken eggs! That was my first thought though, to put her in there to possibly regain strength.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm not sure what you can do besides keep it warm, maybe confined somehow until the yolk is absorbed.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Here she is

Get her into an incubator or under a heat lamp... keep her on something soft like a fluffy washcloth in a bowl or cup if possible... very, very gently get some antibiotic ointment or coconut oil to apply to the yolk sac and be careful that doesn't get ruptured...

 

[Ravynscroft]

We do, but it's currently housing a batch of chicken eggs! That was my first thought though, to put her in there to possibly regain strength.

As long as there is room for her, don't worry about it... and no need to raise humidity... at this point all you can do is keep her warm and wait for yolk sac to absorb... keep her as calm and quiet as possible so she doesn't rupture it...