HELP!!! I helped to hatch a duckling and...

[radrick01]

Hi

Our sitting duck got killed and was left chewed behind my truck. My wife asked me to get the eggs and make a thing for them.
I made a thing out of a file box a towel a bowl of water with a washcloth and a 150 w bulb. We investigated how to on the web and I thought the egg was supposed to be 101f. I guess just the air was supposed to be 101ish. So I cooked the poor things for the first day.

When I got them from the nest they were really cold. Maybe without mommy for 14 hours. SO, I got the temp under control the second day but I could not get the humidity to stay at more than 50 - 60 % by our little reader. 4 out of 5 died. The one started to break out but stopped and I read how they can suffocate inside so I broke away the shell at the cracked spot{.5 inch} for oxygen and then I wrapped the rest of the egg in a plastic bag and put lots of water in the plastic and a few drops in the hole I cracked every so often. Then I waited.

This afternoon I picked up the egg and her(his) beak was through the hole, He started to violently struggle to get out but the shell would not give to the struggle. I decided to check if the shell was to hard and it seamed like leather. I broke it free. It was tired and wet so I set the temp at 95-100 while it dried. It pushed its way out of the egg fast. There was some bleeding at first that really scared me so I thought I killed it! But it kept cheeping and it did not keep bleeding. It seemed like all was well.

Now it seems week. It seems to get around and it kind of crawl-walks to the corner of the box, and stops and sits up like it is OK but then its head falls over like it is dead and sleeps that way. It has not eaten yet that I have seen and it is very wobbly. It seems to have strength but then just falls over asleep. I hold it in my hand and it struggles but does not open its eyes.

It has been 10 hours since it hatched or so. Should I try to force feed a small amount of food to it and some water? I bought chick feeder that does not have the drugs for chicken chicks.

What do I do now? Is its floppiness normal?[/SIZE]

 

[sumi]

Newly hatched ducklings are a bit weak and wobbly at first, but it should recover after the first day or 2. Make sure the duckling is warm (90-95*) brooder temperature and after about 24 hours you can wet some of the chick feed with warm water and offer it some and see if you can get it to eat. You can also take an egg yolk, mix it with 2 tablespoons of water to make it more runny, and offer it that to drink.

Also see here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[duck4u]

This happened to me too.
You have to wait, its stress out from the egg and the temperature. Leave it to dry more. Sometimes ducklings will sleep with their heads on the bottom. Usually they adjust and start to sit normally.
At the first 10 hours ducklings are too weak to pick up their head a lot so It will be training. Try feeding him some sugar, it will give him energy for the nest 24 hours. (I know sugar is bad for them)
From my expierence, I broked the duckling out of the egg shell, blood splatted out from its belly button, I put warm water with some antibodies in there to protect the wound. I snuggled with him to keep him warm while he dried, than waited 24 hours, taught him how to walk then what to eat outside. I got my duck feed starter, and everything was happy.
Make sure when he is all up and happy that he has two bowls to drink from and dip his head.
Give him a swim everyday or his oil glands won't work as early as their suppose too (2-3 weeks).

 

[radrick01]

Hi guys, Thanks for the help. She/he/it is ok now. Eating the mash, and pooping, and happy, and cheeping. SO cute!!! I think I will go buy another duckling to keep her company!

 

[The Howards]

So glad the baby made it.

A companion sounds like a great idea.