Having Mental Pause Moment...question about duck hatching....

[Calebs Acre]

I am the WORST "searcher" ...never know what to enter, so I couldn't find the answer to this.....

I have a duck who has been pipping for almost 12 hours, but he is coming rear end out first. I swear that I've always seen them come out beak first.....???? OR, I am suffering from a SEVERE case of Mental Pause.

I know the posts say, "don't help, don't help", but this little one is peeping and rocking and rolling and just doesn't seem to have any way to break the egg without a beak. I have no idea how he got this far.

Do I help or not? I don't want him to die because I ignored him.

Also..at what age do you switch from crumbles to other food?

 

[MoodyChicken]

Are you sure it's his rear? They rotate as they pip, and their wings cover their heads, so you might be seeing the back or the wing.

Not sure with ducks, but with chickens I feed starter until they start laying.

 

[Calebs Acre]

There is a large portion of the shell missing, so I can see part of his tail and I am sure I have his back end because of the bend in his legs. The other pipping eggs have beaks and I know it can take an entire day for these little guys to get out, but I just feel funny about this little guy.

 

[MoodyChicken]

No way! That's so weird! He must have gotten a little confused and rotated the wrong way. lol. I think it's safe to help him now, just be slow.

 

[Calebs Acre]

Thanks....I'll bring him out and go slowly. I wish I had the camera battery charged!!! I'll post in a while how he does.

 

[California Ducken]

Ok any news yet? How's your new duckie?

 

[MoodyChicken]

Be sure to keep him wet. I dip the eggs (don't submerge the beak) if I feel they're drying out. Good luck! I hope he makes it!

 

[Calebs Acre]

He had no problems once I started to slowly peel the shell. It was only stuck to one place where it was dry. Only took a few moments to get him out. I took some warm water on my finger, applied it to the area and gently removed the egg. I have him wrapped in a brand new washcloth and have him right up against my chest since the other babies are 8 hours older and seemed to pick on him a bit. He's a peeper! I think he just needs to get used to the big ol' world...at least I hope the rest of him is OK. He seemed to have absorbed the yolk. His "navel" was a little red and a little angry looking, but no bleeding. He's probably roasting up against my big fat body!!!

 

[MoodyChicken]

Aw, good job and congrats on a new baby duckling! He should be ok, I've had chicks hatch with "angry navals" and they turn out just fine.

 

[Calebs Acre]

I'm not used to seeing them the first little bit after they come out of the egg.....they are so fragile. I dried him off, but he was still too cold, so I put him in the pile of other ducklings. They are doing a little "eating" off of him, but between 7 others and the heat light, he will do better in there. I can't keep him warm enough.

Once one of them dries out, I worry about ALL of them. He's just been pipped for SO LONG that I think he dried out....I hope the other eggs will be OK.

This group started hatching yesterday, which was Day 24....really early and my Humidaire keeps the temperature a pretty rock solid 99.5 degrees. Today is still three days prior to the hatch date. It makes it hard to keep them all in the hatcher the entire time. So, I remove them, spritz the remaining eggs and keep the tray filled with water. Argh.

PLUS, this is our first hatch in our homemade Omaha Steak hatcher. The first seven hatched perfectly. Only 19 more to go. I'll be nuts by the 28th day.

Thanks. I hope he makes it.