Duckling Is Indeed Dead...Opened it, MAJOR DEFORMITIES (GRAPHIC PICS)

[FunnyBunnies12]

WOW, would I have had a beautiful baby! It did try to pip Friday, I opened the shell, then worked around as if it were to pip, and I found the internal pip, only 1 pin hole, and it was shrink wrapped, but once I got the duckling out it had major deformities. The egg tooth was dull, just enough of it to break that little hole in and it was done. Then the bill is crooked, and one side of the head is flatter and the eye on one side higher up as well as the skull. And I believe the gut developed on the outside. But I'm not sure. So for those of you who want to see my RIP duckling, here are the pictures. I guess in a way I feel better for 1 knowing I didn't cause this, and 2, it died before hatching and ending up suffering and I would have to make that "decision." But here you are

Hoping for the next batch to be healthy and normal. But I hope this isn't hereditary. I'm going to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst that I could end up losing the whole flock because of this. Gosh, what a beautiful baby! RIP Sweet # 10.

pic 1) Here you can see how the tip of the bill points down https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/66568_img00576-20101010-0937.jpg

pic 2) Here you can see what seems or appears that the intestines may have developed outside, but you can also see a bit how the face/neck is off.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/66568_img00578-20101010-0939_2.jpg

pic 3.) Here you definitely can see the deformation of the face/skull/bill https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/66568_img00583-20101010-0943_2.jpg

pic 4.) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/66568_img00584-20101010-0943.jpg


Thank you all so very, very much for all your help and advice and support, especially to Katharina, Iamcuriositycat, for sticking this out with me and my "moments". I'm not done yet!! I have lock down for the 2cd batch next week, and the following 1 1/2wks later the batch momma is sitting on.

Gosh what a beauiful baby!! And what beautiful babies that are to come.

*SIGH*

 

[Bleenie]

The "intestines" actually apprear to be unabsorbed egg yolk, it usually takes right up until theyre hatched for it to absorb fully. I have had some chicks hatch with the "water head" look before, only a few ducklings though. If i remember correctly it's due to a humidity problem?(someone else chime in here). It's bill is definitely deformed though, poor baby. it always sucks when this happens, no matter how many survivors you get out of a clutch it always hurts if you lose one

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

I've already had a few tears run down my face this morning. I always HATE to see new life not able to begin. But in this case, it was better for this poor baby. It does hurt, my boys were right next to me while I carefully took the shell off and started peeling the pip hole, I knew it was dead before I even opened it, not because of any smell but it didn't move at all.

 

[desertdarlene]

Sorry to hear about the duckling, he would have been beautiful and he looked like he almost made it. It seems that this happens a lot, too. Even experts and the parents themselves aren't always successful hatching the eggs.

Hoping to hear happy news next week with your other eggs, especially the dented one.

 

[duckluck]

Not trying to razz you or anything, just advice for next time: if your gut tells you to help sooner, give them help. Sometimes instinct is your best guide because there are "tells" you're subconsciously picking up on, but we all get stuck sometimes by trying to rationalize it out too much. I personally think the head deformity comes in when they get positioned wrong and lay that way for too long, but again, my opinion. I've had it happen and yep, it usually ends badly if they're that way for too long. I've actually seen them wind up upside down in the egg or very stuck. I usually intervene sooner rather than later and have seen worse cases of this when I've had to have someone else help when I've had to be off the farm; they've had the tendency to wait too long. I don't know what breed you're hatching, but Calls are difficult to hatch and frequently need help, so timing can get pretty critical depending on the breed and if you're going to help. But good luck on the next go-round, and remember, you will always lose some.