Finally an external pip

[davekrista]

Quote:
Does the yolk look like a spiral piece of flesh kind of? I will try to get a pic in a little while. I just dipped their beaks in electrolyte water and they are both on their sides and breathing, so I guess all I can do now is hope for the best. I will let them rest then try a pic later of between their legs. Should I try to give them another dip of the electrlyte water in a few hours or just let them be?

 

[katharinad]

Sounds like their umbilical cord. That one will dry and fall off pretty soon.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
Well 1 does NOT appear to be breathing any longer, The 2nd of the 2, the one I had a real hard time with and couldn't find the beak. But 1 is still breathing. So I still pray for the best.

 

[katharinad]

Sorry to hear that. I'm sure it would have not made it out by itself either. You gave it a good try. Very often there is more wrong with it when it cannot pip. Being in a wrong location made it so much harder. It could have been already oxygen deprived when you helped it and had suffered brain damage from it. It worked out relatively good considering all the issues with the incubation. Building an incubator yourself is tricky enough. You can get the heat and humidity right, but you cannot check for carbon dioxide without the proper equipment to get the holes right.

 

[MrsDuck]

Sorry you lost one of those last two. I LOVE the pictures of the three that are doing well. So cute!! There's nothing quite like a baby duck, is there. I'm still pulling for the one!!

Edited to avoid distracting from the hatch.

 

[katharinad]

Boy is she big. You are right she needs a body. You did get a muscovy, right? I was slightly confused at the Oktoberfest when you came up to us. Couldn't sort it right in my head which duck it was.

It had been so stressful. It takes us an entire day to load the truck, one day of driving, a whole day for setup, and then the event starts with its long hours. It's a killer for us, but the money is good and it is a nice event. Next time we need to get together and have a meal or something. For us it is always best the evening before the event starts. And please next time bring us some of your apple cider.

 

[davekrista]

That egg that was shrink wrapped, is still breathing and trying to kick off the bottom part of the shell. Poor thing can't open its eyes though. I tried to help open it gently but the "fur" dried so stiff that the poor thing can't open. How can I help? What do I do.

 

[katharinad]

You can wash it with warm water, but I would wait until it looks stronger. The eyes can be washed with cotton balls soaked in warm water.

 

[davekrista]

Quote:
Thanks Katharina, I wasn't sure if it would be ok to leave it like that for a little while. Didn't want to cause eye infection or anything. But I will definately wait until its a little stronger.

ETA: My husband just checked on the little fuzz butt and it was successful in kicking off the bottom part of the shell and is trying to stand up. I took that shell out of the bator and it is able to open 1 eye but not the other. It is showing signs of becoming more fiesty. The cord is still out a little bit, and there is a small piece of shell stuck to it still. I'm going to leave it so I don't make it bleed, and Its feet might have something wrong with it. I don't know, it may just not know how to use them yet, but seems different than the others when they first tried to stand. All "toes" are together, so I opened them gently and the poor thing peeped, almost like it hurt. But the web things in the middle of the toes are there, so I'm not quite sure what to think about it just yet.

 

[katharinad]

Turned in or closed feet are quite common, and you should not have to worry about it. It usually goes away in two to three days. Keep on giving it the vitamin water every couple of hours to improve its strength. The niacin in will fix the closed foot. I called it the foot that fell asleep in the tight egg space. It just has to wake up and in a couple of days you don't even know it was there. Leave the little bit egg shell attached because it will come off by itself. In a few days you can let them have their first swim in a little bit of warm water and it will come off then. I let all of mine swim from day 2 or 3 on and they love it. It has to be warm water they can stand in and they need to get dried off and put back under the brooder once done. You will know when, because they stop playing and just stand around. Wash the eye that is sticky when you feel it is ok to do so. Trust me tomorrow is will be much happier.