four little hatchlings, need a bit of assistance

[revans2003]

Good Morning All,

Well at 29 days, I have four beautiful ducklings. 2 Jumbo Pekins, a Mallard, and a Welsh. I need a little help with the Welsh, but here is the events leading up to my question.

On day 27, a Mallard bill triumphantly pipped through its shell and announced its presence to the world. She then spent most of the day attempting to make that hole bigger instead of unzipping (like every other duck in the world)

so we decided to go to bed after realizing this duck was going to take FOREVER.

Not to be outdone, and realizing that they had to hatch to get attention, one of my two Jumbo Pekins pipped and zipped overnight and looked up at us with eyes that said "Look at me, look at me!!!!"

. We will call this one Brutus for reasons that will be disclosed shortly.Meanwhile the Mallard was stubbornly refusing to use the zip method to get out and was intent on bursting out the first pip hole.

. I considered taking Brutus to the brooder as he was fluffy and dry but I did not want to move him from the incubator because that's what people recommended. This was probably a good decision at first, as Brutus helped the Mallard hatch from his shell, but not like helping a old lady across the street, more like ramming it like a demolition derby car. But, who can argue with results right? So now I have a newborn mallard and a gigantic newborn Pekin. This took most of the day, and right at bed time I noticed that the second Jumbo had pipped. In retrospect I was a bit concerned about two Jumbo's in the incubator but there was no way the second one was going to hatch that night, right?

Wrong!

When I woke up, there was Brutus and Bruiser playing a game of soccer/dodgeball with the rest of the eggs

peeping like mad, and having the time of there lives. The mallard was off to the side, and between naps, must have been wondering....what the heck....

. Again, I considered removing the two troublemakers from the incubator, but in the words of wisdom from multiple forums "Dont do it, even if they are knocking eggs around, don't do it". So I let this go one for a few hours, but Brutus and Bruiser were having the time of there lives. Although they would nap a bit, they thought the eggs were there personal play toys.

It was about this time I noticed, that I had not noticed, that my Welsh had pipped once or twice and the egg had been mostly opened due to the fanatics of the Pekin twins. Of course I don't know this for sure, but the opening wasnt a zip, it was a break and there was some blood, not a ton, but some. Most of the yolk was absorbed and he still had the umbilical attached.

To conclude a long story, I have moved the twins and the mallard to the brooder and left the Welsh in the Incubator. about 12 hours later he is laying on his side, attempting to stand at times. I am guessing he will be slower than the rest but will eventually build the muscle. He also cannot hold his head up much, if at all. Occasionally I have seen him shudder, but that might be him trying to stand? He opens his eyes at times and peeps.

Here is my plan and I would love critiques and suggestions:

I want to start giving him vitamins as I think he may have wry neck. I have not given him standing water (so he wont drown) but he will take a few drops from a dropper. If this is the correct course of action, I was going to dilute 1/8 TSP poultry vitamins in a gallon of water and feed it via the dropper.

Tomorrow I want to feed him a mash of food, this will be day two after hatching.

Monitor his progress and keep him separate from the bruiser twins until he has gained strength, probably in the incubator.



Pictures:

Here are the troublesome Pekins and the Baby Mallard. - Oh and by the way, guess who lifted up the paper towels and immediately started eating the bedding................Yup! the Pekins

Here is my baby Welsh that is need of assistance.




@Amiga

 

[Lozuufy]

I loved reading the story LOL, you wright very well!

I had a baby duck that was like that, she perked up after I gave her electrolytes and had some snuggle time. She was soon running around with the others and completely normal

@Amiga

 

[Amiga]

Hi,

I am going to finish reading the whole story after I send this.

While wide spectrum vitamins can be helpful, from what I have read, the B vitamins seem to really help wry neck.

So I would mix up a B Complex vitamin based on the amount of B3 (niacin) in the capsule. So if there are 150 mg of B3 in the capsule, I would dissolve one of those in a gallon of water. The ratio recommended is 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.

Have you seen Bentley's story?

@revans2003

and the text should turn blue if the @ worked. I cannot get it to work from my phone….

 

[Amiga]

@Orca5094 @WVduckchick @Lacrystol are hatchers, I'm not . . . wondering if the Welsh was "helped" a little too soon, and just needs some extra time resting… not sure, though. Once you do start supplementing, I think the recommendations in my previous post should work.

Here is Bentley's story.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

 

[Orca5094]

I think you're doing everything right for this little guy so far! Keeping him separate from the others until the's a bit stronger, B-complex vitamins, and getting him to eat a nice mash of wet food as soon as possible should help him alot. You can also give him some finely chopped hard-boiled egg to add to his mash as an extra boost. Those who start out a little weak really seem to benefit from a little extra protein early on.

I don't have experience with wry neck myself though, so I would just check out the link Amiga posted on that. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Amiga]

Thanks, Orca5094

 

[WVduckchick]

I also agree with the others, and your course of action. Cute babies and great story!

I see other eggs in there too... what's up with those???

Those little heckions are going to be a handful!!

 

[Lacrystol]

GREAT story, However, I would NOT give him anything. He needs that head up, to risky to try and force something down him. It's got enough to keep him going for a couple of days.


Once they are Fluffed up, YES they can be pulled from the bator even if you have more to go.

 

[Lacrystol]

Wry neck remedy is 1 Capsule of Vitamin E 400 iu per day, a drop of Polyvisol Three times a day, 1 drop Poultry drench 2 times a day,


My personal opinion I don't think he has wry neck. He was just hatched so he's struggling a little to get those neck muscles working. Give him at least 24 to 48 hours and see if he doesn't pick up that head..

I would be curious to know if he has Closed up yet? Does he still have the cord dangling?

I would give him more time before giving him Vitamins, or have I mis-read something and it's already been 24 hours????

All the ducks should be getting Vitamin B, I would be dropping 6 Vitamin B complex pills into a Gallon of water, Mixed with Some Poultry drench...

 

[revans2003]

Quote:
Yes! That is what gave me the idea for vitamins and wry neck.

Quote:
They never pipped

, They were viable when I candled them on 14, but couldn't see much on 25 prior to lock-down.

Quote:
He hasn't completely closed up but things are progressing. The cord came off overnight. After giving him some time this morning he seems better, so I will hold off on giving him anything until 24 hours has passed tonight and then re-assess.


Thank You All for your assistance and advice, I will keep you all posted.