HELP!! Duckling cant walk right

[Ilovemybirds21]

I would like to start off by saying this is my first time incubating any eggs. I had 3 Pekin duck eggs that were viable. They were due to hatch on Dec. 18.2021 however they did not hatch until Dec. 21 2021. All three were hatched and did not have their umbilical cord fully dried up and sealed. I did research and read to put antibacterial ointment on it so I did(without pain killer in it) one died last night one is still very weak, and the other seems fine other than it can not walk right. I have given all 3 of them poultry Nutri drench and added natural yeast flakes to the water and syringe feed them. What can I do to help my remaining servicers? What can I do to help the one that is having a hard time walking? the poor little thing is trying so hard to get around but it's like one leg just does not want to cooperate.

Thank you for any help you may have for me and my little babies.

 

[Ilovemybirds21]

This is the one that is having a hard time walking

 

[nchls school]

I suspect that your thermometer is reading wrong; that the temperature was actually lower than what it said and development was slowed. Sometimes these problems clear up in a couple days. It may be that the duckling will have to be euthanized. This is something I hate doing, but sometimes there just isn't a choice.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Do you still have them in the incubator? I was just wondering, because they really need to be in a brooder with food and water.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

First - I have VERY poor luck incubating ducklings. Which means I have some experience with failure.

Second - I see from your picture (thank you for that) and your comments, that you've covered the basics that I was going to offer.

As you know, ducks need lots of Niacin - your yeast, and the Nutridrench, will see to those issues.

Additionally, ducks - particularly young ducks - are prone to knee joint issues, partiucularly when nutritionally deprived, the runt hatchling, etc. Placing yours on a towel, instead of a smooth plastic or metal brooder floor - doesn't help that, but it sure doesn't aggravate the issues.

I can offer that, with time and nutrition and good flooring, a number of initially concerning symptoms with weak just hatched ducklings (splayed feet, head on "crooked", etc) have dramatically improved, if not quite disappeared, in my experience - leading to happy, generally healthy, and successful ducks (as in, decent weight gain, reasonable laying, proficient foragers) on my property, even if they never hit their potential.

I wish you every fortune, and yes, you should recheck your incubator's thermostat. Periodic inspection and (if needed) recalibration is simply good practice.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Can I ask why you syringe fed the ducklings and have you ever given oral meds or syringe fed a duckling before? It's extremely easy to aspirate a duckling and at that age it kills them. On top of that a duckling that has fully absorbed the yolk at hatch can take anywhere from 24-48 hours before they want to eat and if they still had yolk to absorb I have seen it take as much as 72 hours since they are still living off of that yolk. As for your ducklings that can't walk you need electrolytes and niacin. Nutridrench says that it has Niacin, but I have never gotten an answer from the company as to how much and I do not believe that it has electrolytes either. For electrolytes I really love Durvet's electrolyte and vitamin supplement. For ducklings that were assisted hatch that have trouble walking Poultry Cell is my go to. I hatch ducklings every spring and I hatch a breed that is known for their poor hatch rates often requiring assistance. I have yet to lose a duckling after lockdown and I have had ducklings go from flipping over not being able to walk to running around with the rest within days. For the poultry cell I draw .25 cc in a syringe and place 1 single drop on the edge of the inside of their bill. Allow them to "chew" a couple of times then place another single drop continuing this process until the syringe is empty.

 

[Ilovemybirds21]

Do you still have them in the incubator? I was just wondering, because they really need to be in a brooder with food and water.

I have one in the incubator as he was the last one to hatch and he still had a little bit of yolk left to absorb. The other is in a brooder with a heat lamp instead of the brooder heater. I read the red light helps them more than the heater.

 

[Ilovemybirds21]

Can I ask why you syringe fed the ducklings and have you ever given oral meds or syringe fed a duckling before? It's extremely easy to aspirate a duckling and at that age it kills them. On top of that a duckling that has fully absorbed the yolk at hatch can take anywhere from 24-48 hours before they want to eat and if they still had yolk to absorb I have seen it take as much as 72 hours since they are still living off of that yolk. As for your ducklings that can't walk you need electrolytes and niacin. Nutridrench says that it has Niacin, but I have never gotten an answer from the company as to how much and I do not believe that it has electrolytes either. For electrolytes I really love Durvet's electrolyte and vitamin supplement. For ducklings that were assisted hatch that have trouble walking Poultry Cell is my go to. I hatch ducklings every spring and I hatch a breed that is known for their poor hatch rates often requiring assistance. I have yet to lose a duckling after lockdown and I have had ducklings go from flipping over not being able to walk to running around with the rest within days. For the poultry cell I draw .25 cc in a syringe and place 1 single drop on the edge of the inside of their bill. Allow them to "chew" a couple of times then place another single drop continuing this process until the syringe is empty.

I have Manna Pro Hydro-Hen 3-in-1 Supplement as well as the Nutri-Drench Poultry. I mixed it together and did what you did just put a little on the edge of the inside of their bill and let them drink some I did add some yeast to it as well. I did this because I have read about 100 forums on here and that is what everyone said to try to do. I did not force feed the poor baby I also stoped if it seemed like it did not want any more.

 

[Ilovemybirds21]

First - I have VERY poor luck incubating ducklings. Which means I have some experience with failure.

Second - I see from your picture (thank you for that) and your comments, that you've covered the basics that I was going to offer.

As you know, ducks need lots of Niacin - your yeast, and the Nutridrench, will see to those issues.

Additionally, ducks - particularly young ducks - are prone to knee joint issues, partiucularly when nutritionally deprived, the runt hatchling, etc. Placing yours on a towel, instead of a smooth plastic or metal brooder floor - doesn't help that, but it sure doesn't aggravate the issues.

I can offer that, with time and nutrition and good flooring, a number of initially concerning symptoms with weak just hatched ducklings (splayed feet, head on "crooked", etc) have dramatically improved, if not quite disappeared, in my experience - leading to happy, generally healthy, and successful ducks (as in, decent weight gain, reasonable laying, proficient foragers) on my property, even if they never hit their potential.

I wish you every fortune, and yes, you should recheck your incubator's thermostat. Periodic inspection and (if needed) recalibration is simply good practice.

Thank you for your comments. I read that putting a towel down is better than the smooth plastic so the babies won't slip around? I want to help them and give them a long loving life. I feel like a failure because the one died so far. I felt like I did all I could do as far as research before I even considered incubation eggs.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you for your comments. I read that putting a towel down is better than the smooth plastic so the babies won't slip around? I want to help them and give them a long loving life. I feel like a failure because the one died so far. I felt like I did all I could do as far as research before I even considered incubation eggs.

I've had 100% fails, 80% success, and most recently lost 11 of 12 in the attempt (a bunch of infertiles, a handful of late quits, a single contaminated - which likely contributed tot he late quits - only had two hatch, one of whom died for no known cause about 24 hours later).

In life, the only guarantee is that none get out alive. Death is a natural and normal part of the process, though I commend you for your efforts, and your research, before embarking on this path. Even so, perfect knowledge and perfect intent do not guarantee perfect results. Keep at it, and know that - success or fail - its nothing personal when things don't go as expected (just as its likely not you when things exceed all expectations). Mother Nature is a _ _ _ _ _