How long does it take the yolk sac to absorb?

[Smartie_Pants]

I have a momma duck who is setting on eggs. Yesterday, I went out to check her nest for bad eggs, and found that she had crushed a few of them. One had a chick in it, and he was still alive! He had pipped anyway, but the shell was missing all the way down one side and the membrane was glued to him. Her toenails had torn part of the membrane at the bottom, and you could see is leg and a little of the yolk sack. I didn't want her to hurt him, or to get any dirt or bacteria in on his yolk sac, so I brought him in and put him in the bator. He was pushing and kicking at the top part of the shell, so I gently peeled it off. There was no blood at all with the membrane or anything when I tested a small spot, so I peeled it off around his head. He kicked his upper body out, so that just his lower half was in the shell. This was about 3:00 yesterday afternoon.

He's been in there since then, and now I think we have a problem. The yolk sac is still out, no much, but its out. Its not bloody or dark or anything anymore either. That's not the problem. The problem is he is a strong little guy, and he's actually trying to crawl around! He's peeping, and when I opened it this morning to make sure it hadn't dried out, he crawled over to the side and was peeping at me and trying to come out into my hand!

Is that yolk sac going to finish going all the way in? It likes very little, and I wish it would go in already! I don't want him to hurt it crawling around in there!


(PS, please don't post any rude or harsh comments about helping with the hatch. To each their own, but people are different.)

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Give him some more time. My understanding is that many of them will completely absorb the yolk eventually. If not after 24 hours or so, I would take some heavy thread and tie if off a couple of centimeters away from it's belly (tie several knots), then trim the excess off. They don't need all of the yolk.

You've done the best you can...keep us posted!

Edited to add: keep him on something soft...not wire. It's better to tie it off now if it looks like it's going to be punctured.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

He absorbed everything on his own a couple hours after my first post, and he completly disconnected himself from the shell. The only thing left is for it to turn all the way in. It was looking a little dry, so I put more water in the bator to up the humidity.

He's not laying on the wire by the way. I put a damp cloth over the floor so he would have something softer to lay on. I thought maybe if it was damp it would keep the vent area moist too.