Egg got crushed and is a day away from hatching, will I need to help it?

[Demintion]

I'm not sure if this is where I post this or not, but here we go. I'll move it if need be, but I really need to know. We have broody silver appleyard ducks hatching their eggs. I came home to one broody who has been pushed off her nest with a new hatchling by a chicken. (The chickens are not in the same pen, but sometimes the chickens jump over.)

Not sure if she tried to fight the chicken or what, but I got the chicken off the nest.I noticed one of the eggs was absolutely crushed with peeps coming from it. The chick is badly exposed so I took it inside to put into my hatching incubator that I have other eggs in thankfully. Anyway, I've had this happen one other time, but that time it was done by a person. It was never this bad though, and I peeled some of the membrane to check for veins. There are still prominent veins. It looks like the chick had just internally pipped when it was crushed so it hasnt absorbed anything. Will this chick be okay or do I need to help it along once the veins and yolks absorb?

 

[sourland]

I'd just monitor closely. As you know the goal is not to have the duckling hatch until the yolk is completely absorbed. Good luck.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

It looks like it's getting shrink-wrapped. Check out this article by Pyxis:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'd apply a bit of sunflower oil to the exposed white membrane to keep it moist. It's a very light oil that is readily absorbed into the tissue.

 

[Demintion]

It looks like it's getting shrink-wrapped. Check out this article by Pyxis:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

It definitely was, but once I put it in the incubator it looks like it normally would if it still had the shell around it. I think it got like that when I was moving it from outside to inside. It no longer looks tight and sunken around the duckling anymore. And from what I can see, the duckling is still able to move around pretty freely. Thank you for the article, I'm sure it'll be a huge help!

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

It definitely was, but once I put it in the incubator it looks like it normally would if it still had the shell around it. I think it got like that when I was moving it from outside to inside. It no longer looks tight and sunken around the duckling anymore. And from what I can see, the duckling is still able to move around pretty freely. Thank you for the article, I'm sure it'll be a huge help!

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Demintion]

Update

I made very grim discovery when I went back to check on the nest again. Two very cold, wet ducklings. Two more crushed eggs, one of them probably won't survive. And the previous one that had hatched when I found the chicken on her nest, now has a couple of wounds on it's head. Unsure of it's survival. So it's come to me that this was not simply a mistake on the chickens part. As the chicken was no where near the nest. The broody duck that was sitting on the eggs was attacking her own hatchlings, leaving them out when they did have, and crushing eggs when I believe they moved. She is only about maybe one so possibly this was due to inexperience. We have decided to tag her so we no longer allow her to go broody. Sad day here, but I've collected the remaining eggs and I'm going to try to save what I can. One of the ducklings that was cold wasn't even breathing, but now it seems to be shallow at the least. And just taking a look at the other duckling who just hatched, there is a wound by it's bill.

This is honestly such a shocker. Our other two broodies who have hatched out their eggs are wonderful first time moms, but this girl just didn't seem to have her instincts click.​

(Excuse the first picture. The incubator is in my laundry room.)

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[Everose]

Update

I made very grim discovery when I went back to check on the nest again. Two very cold, wet ducklings. Two more crushed eggs, one of them probably won't survive. And the previous one that had hatched when I found the chicken on her nest, now has a couple of wounds on it's head. Unsure of it's survival. So it's come to me that this was not simply a mistake on the chickens part. As the chicken was no where near the nest. The broody duck that was sitting on the eggs was attacking her own hatchlings, leaving them out when they did have, and crushing eggs when I believe they moved. She is only about maybe one so possibly this was due to inexperience. We have decided to tag her so we no longer allow her to go broody. Sad day here, but I've collected the remaining eggs and I'm going to try to save what I can. One of the ducklings that was cold wasn't even breathing, but now it seems to be shallow at the least. And just taking a look at the other duckling who just hatched, there is a wound by it's bill.

This is honestly such a shocker. Our other two broodies who have hatched out their eggs are wonderful first time moms, but this girl just didn't seem to have her instincts click.​

(Excuse the first picture. The incubator is in my laundry room.)
View attachment 2641533View attachment 2641535View attachment 2641536View attachment 2641537

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I know this thread is a little bit old but I was wondering if any of them made it? And if so what did you do to help them? We have SA ducklings hatching soon and the goal is to let them be broody when they're adults, that's why I'm asking

 

[Demintion]

I know this thread is a little bit old but I was wondering if any of them made it? And if so what did you do to help them? We have SA ducklings hatching soon and the goal is to let them be broody when they're adults, that's why I'm asking

I managed to save a couple of the eggs by keeping them somewhat misted to make sure membrane didn't dry out. When they internally pipped, I found their beaks and made holes if the membrane was thick and gave them time. If I found they were struggling to break the membrane, I'd gently break away until the duckling seemed satisfied. The little black duckling I found that had chilled didn't make it, unfortunately. I was just too late in getting to it. The one egg that was super crushed didnt have much of a chance and died within the next twenty four hours. But the other two I ended up saving by doing the above. And the little duckling that was wounded has almost fully healed. (Probably will have a scar, but he/she has become the protector of any new ducklings.)

As for any advice when they go broody, just watch them carefully when they begin to hatch their eggs out. Always have an incubator at the ready just in case something happens. We saved the rest of the clutch because our incubator had been running for a hatch we were working on. If you have multiple broodies, do not let them see each other when they've nested and are brooding. When one of them hatches out ducklings, your other broody has a chance to imprint on those ducklings first before her own hatch.

 

[Everose]

I managed to save a couple of the eggs by keeping them somewhat misted to make sure membrane didn't dry out. When they internally pipped, I found their beaks and made holes if the membrane was thick and gave them time. If I found they were struggling to break the membrane, I'd gently break away until the duckling seemed satisfied. The little black duckling I found that had chilled didn't make it, unfortunately. I was just too late in getting to it. The one egg that was super crushed didnt have much of a chance and died within the next twenty four hours. But the other two I ended up saving by doing the above. And the little duckling that was wounded has almost fully healed. (Probably will have a scar, but he/she has become the protector of any new ducklings.)

As for any advice when they go broody, just watch them carefully when they begin to hatch their eggs out. Always have an incubator at the ready just in case something happens. We saved the rest of the clutch because our incubator had been running for a hatch we were working on. If you have multiple broodies, do not let them see each other when they've nested and are brooding. When one of them hatches out ducklings, your other broody has a chance to imprint on those ducklings first before her own hatch.

Thank you for responding! And thank you doubly for the advice. I'm so sorry that some of them didn't make it but its pretty cool that the others did, and especially the little guy who was rlly beat up. I was thinking we could get a camera and set it up near the nest so that we could see what was going on without disturbing her. Hopefully we get a couple good mommy ducks outa the batch