Neck problems in a duckling

[Gingersnp]

I just recently hatched 5 Ducklings. I had to help one of them. At first I just helped a little because when I started chipping away the shell some of the membrane came with it and there was a small amount of blood so I wrapped it in a wet paper towel and put it back into the incubator. That happend yesterday morning around 6:30. I had to go to work so I wasn't able to check on it again until around 4:30 that evening. It had not made any more progress by that time so I decided to go ahead and help it hatch the rest of the way out. It came out fine but I did notice that it wanted to get back into the position it was in inside the shell. I thought that it just need to gain some strength so I left it alone to dry off in the incubator. Well, this morning around 6:30ish again I went to check and two more had hatched during the night and were drying off as well. The two that had hatched were holding their heads up and moving around. But the little baby that I had to help can not pick its head up right. It keeps going back down and curled around like its in the shell. I don't know what to do. Do y'all think it will be ok in a few days? Has anyone seen any think like this? Do y'all think it may have stayed in the egg too long? Thanks

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi
Glad you joined the flock. Why did you have to help the duckling? What were the reasons?
Not all hatches go well and there is sometimes a weak one in the clutch of eggs. Hatching is difficult and very tiring for ducklings and chicks and some take longer to recover from this.

 

[Gingersnp]

I had to help because it had made a small hole big enough for its bill to fit though two days prior. This was going on the third day and still no more progress. It got to the point to where it would hardly move or chirp at all even when startled by a loud noise (tapping on the glass of the incubator) Also, the membrane around the area was dried and tough as leather. It keeps getting back into the position from the egg. The only thing I can discribe it as is like when a human has slept wrong and they don't want to turn thier neck a certain way because it hurts.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I believe then the best thing you can do now is to leave it to rest. Ones that have had to be helped to hatch tend to be weak or suffer from ailments. I know it sounds harsh but many people don't assist eggs for this very reason. In nature this duckling would probably not have survived its natures way of weeding out the weak.
Hopefully with some time it will pull round ready to go into the brooder

 

[Gingersnp]

I'm hoping when I get home today it will have started showing improvement.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I hope so too. Keep us posted

 

[Gingersnp]

Got home and little duckie is better. He is not quite as strong yet as the others but he is getting there.

 

[Amiga]

Sounds like some Gro-Gel or Sav-a-Chik would help. Brewer's Yeast, niacin in the water at 100 to 150 mg per gallon of water, all might really help (these things help the nervous system in ducklings).

Prayers.

 

[Gingersnp]

I have probiotics and electrolytes in their water. It may have been what has helped so much. I was giving it to the weak one with a medicine dropper last nght. I seems to be doing so much better tonight. It is holding its head up and straight now. It just needs to get some more strength in its legs so the others ones dont walk all over it. Poor guy, I have it isolated right now.

 

[Gingersnp]

I just looked at the ingredients of the electrolytes package and it contains niacin. So that's good. The probiotics packet contains the yeast so that's a plus too!