Just hatched duckling flopping around and can't bend leg

[Goobermeister]

So my ducklings have started to hatch in an incubation that was rife with issues, shipped eggs coming to a 10,000 ft elevation, multiple half day power outages, multiple wrong end pips. Out of the initial 17 viable eggs I started with, I was whittled down to 11 by lockdown. 5 have hatched so far, most of them late, but all seem very healthy. I'm on day 34 now and after watching this egg try to unzip for 36 hoursp I decided to help him out since it looked like the exposed membrane was all dried out and he was almost all the way out anyways, and had been for some time.

I just peeled a tiny bit, set him back in, and within a minute he managed to kick himself out. But very soon he started flopping and rolling around in distress. He looked like he couldn't bend one of his legs and so he can't stand up without falling over. By the time I left for work he had stopped flopping around so much, but still couldn't bend his leg at all.

I'm currently at work, but my partner says he's still in the same condition. I'm hoping he just needs a day or two to adjust to being out of the egg, but in case there are any issues, I want to head into town once I get off work to get any supplements or any other supplies I can to help this little one out.

First time incubating, so maybe I'm freaking out a bit prematurely, but I live very far from town so I want to get anything I might need to give my duckling the best chance.

Any ideas?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Unable to stand, wobbly, rolling, falling and laying curled up in the fetal position are normal at hatch especially for an assisted hatch. Ducklings have only ever been in the fetal position and have no leg strength or coordination. Think of it like any baby being born. Some take a few hours, some like humans take months to a year, but babies are not born walking immediately when they come out. Usually it takes a few hours for ducks at least to find their legs and even then those that needed some assistance hatching usually take a little longer. After 24 hours if they are still flopping that's more of a concern. However, it is always prudent to provide electrolytes and vitamins for the first few days after hatch. I am a huge fan of DurVet for electrolytes (sav-a-chick is also pretty good) and I like Rooster Booster's "Poultry Cell" that can be found at most farm stores for an extra pick-me-up. I've used it for assisted hatches who ended up still unable to walk after the first 24 hours and they all ended up being just fine.

 

[Goobermeister]

Unable to stand, wobbly, rolling, falling and laying curled up in the fetal position are normal at hatch especially for an assisted hatch. Ducklings have only ever been in the fetal position and have no leg strength or coordination. Think of it like any baby being born. Some take a few hours, some like humans take months to a year, but babies are not born walking immediately when they come out. Usually it takes a few hours for ducks at least to find their legs and even then those that needed some assistance hatching usually take a little longer. After 24 hours if they are still flopping that's more of a concern. However, it is always prudent to provide electrolytes and vitamins for the first few days after hatch. I am a huge fan of DurVet for electrolytes (sav-a-chick is also pretty good) and I like Rooster Booster's "Poultry Cell" that can be found at most farm stores for an extra pick-me-up. I've used it for assisted hatches who ended up still unable to walk after the first 24 hours and they all ended up being just fine.

I'm hoping that's the case! I was fortunate to get to watch my others hatch and find their legs, and they seemed to do so fairly quickly without any issues. But then they all were able to hatch unassisted! I'll keep an eye on him.

I'll be sure to get some electrolytes in town! I have some sav-a-chick kicking around the house somewhere, but of course now that I need it it's nowhere to be found! I've been giving my brooder babies a bit of ACV in their water since I couldn't find my electrolyres, and I'd read in Lisa Steele's duck book that it helps perk the ducklings up.