HELP my duckling hatched and died before he even dried off :(

[riley17]

My muscovy is setting her first nest of eggs, and they are supposed to hatch any day, well my boyfriend was out there and he found one hatched and said it was dead so he tossed it.....I looked and it wasnt even dried off yet. But I'm wondering if it was just resting after hatching?? Can I save it? If he was dead, why would he die after hatching??

 

[riley17]

Well, I checked hima nd my boyfriend was right. He's stone cold. Why would he die right after hatching?? Will the rest of my ducklings die as well??

 

[Amykins]

Sometimes if they're weak, they can die, even after fully hatching out. But TBH I'd never toss a duckling until I was 110% sure he was dead as a doornail. I'm kinda cheesed at your BF for just throwing the poor little guy out like a piece of scrap paper without even notifying you about it before he did so.

Also, if he was really early to hatch that can be as dangerous as being a really late hatcher. I'd keep an eye on your temps and a closer eye on the clutch to see how it progresses. If he was under a broody and she rejected him, then he probably froze.

 

[riley17]

He was 100% sure he was dead. I wasn't because I didn't see him. I guess it was being hopeful on my part and wanting to think that there was a chance...oh well. I can't adjust the temps, her nest is outside. He might have froze because he was found a little ways from the nest. I hope that was it. I will keep an eye on them. Thanks

 

[Amykins]

Oh okay so it you're doing it au naturale. I'm guessing that's what happened, he just got out of the nest and mama didn't try to push him back. Poor guy. :/ Sorry for getting my panties in a twist, I just go full Mama Bear Mode when it comes to my babies...and anyone else's, apparently!

 

[riley17]

LOL It's ok. I shoulda trusted my honey a little bit more. But I'm definitely keeping a loser eye on my duck babies now!

 

[Amykins]

Is the mama a first-time brooder? It may just be her own inexperience. Maybe when the next one hatches you can catch it in time and put it in a brooding box to dry off.

 

[riley17]

Will she accept it back if I take it away to dry off? Yes, it is her first hatch. I realized that first baby was early at only 33 days. No more have hatched yet, tomorrow will be 35 days.

 

[Amykins]

She should, but if she's that inexperienced I'm not 100% sure. I hope someone else with more experience can chime in, personally I've never had a natural hatch before.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have your Scovy in a nest box? sometimes ducklings will fall out and can't get back in and mamas won't leave the nest full of hatching eggs, I always make sure my ducks are nesting in shaving on the floor of their coop so there is no chance a duckling can fall out or get wedged behind something , because it's amazing what they can get into even right after hatch, and duckling could have died shortly after hatch and mama put it outside of the nest too. It's hard work hatching, I'd not mess with the ducklings though let mama take care of them, just make sure about the first things I posted.