Newborn duck needs help!

[CayugaMum]

My newborn cayuga is in bad shape and I'm hoping someone may have some advice. It was badly shrink wrapped (the other ducklings that hatched first disrupted the humidity) so I helped it hatch. It is heavily covered in dried membrane/mucous and using a warm damp cloth isn't removing much. It also has limited use of its legs. The feet are all curled up and it can barely stand. Any ideas whether it can be saved and how?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I haven't had this happen but I am going to tag some experienced hatchers that most likely have. As for the legs and feet give it today and see how things are going. Sometimes it just takes longer for ducklings that have had a rough hatch.
If the legs and feet aren't better by tomorrow post back and we'll help.
@New duck mommy 2021
@WVduckchick
@cheezenkwackers
@shawluvsbirds

 

[KAZINO]

My newborn cayuga is in bad shape and I'm hoping someone may have some advice. It was badly shrink wrapped (the other ducklings that hatched first disrupted the humidity) so I helped it hatch. It is heavily covered in dried membrane/mucous and using a warm damp cloth isn't removing much. It also has limited use of its legs. The feet are all curled up and it can barely stand. Any ideas whether it can be saved and how?

I had this happen to 2 Quails and I had a malpositioned Duckling, It went well for 5 days and then they passed but I think from having personally experienced this I'd say make sure they're eating and drinking, I used to bring my Duckling who was struggling to the top running a little and put the tip of their beak slightly touching the water and then they'd start to have little amounts of water and then perking up, ( I'd also try to use a syringe with water and medicine and put on the tip of the beak and sometimes they would open their beak to drink the drops on their beak ) I'd make sure they're eating enough and if they still need a brooder/heat lamp keep in mind you'll have to keep an eye on if they're drinking enough and make sure they can't fall into the water since they may get cold or drown but I'd make sure eating and drinking to maintain their energy is important to try to help them help themselves or their body just won't adapt to any ways of trying to help them, youtube shows multiple ways visually on how to help them but if you do try out tips from YouTube keep in mind you have to supervise the Duck incase it stresses them out or if they fall over depending what you try to help them with but over all make sure they're eating an drinking and pooping, I really hope you can help them, it's heartbreaking to lose them sorry if I'm not much help but I just hope I can help in any small way from personal experiences.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since it just newly hatched it isn't going to be interested in eating or drinking if it absorbed the yolk sac. They can live off of it for a couple days So I wouldn't worry about it eating or drinking yet. OP needs help getting the dried goo off the duckling. It's like cement.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

You need warm water and Q tips and gently rub
Then let it warm up and go again
If you can take it in a bathroom that has the shower on hot running to heat the bathroom and causes humidity will help as well
I’m worried about baby being cold
As for the curled toes it just hatched and was assisted that’s not uncommon and may need 24 hours to straighten out
You don’t want to soak the duckling that’s why I use a Q tip and just do areas then warm up then do some more
Make sure the humidity is up in the bator
How did the other duckling mess the humidity up ?

 

[CayugaMum]

Thanks Miss Lydia and Kazino.
It's still in the incubator at the moment but I did give it some water at one point and it drank it. It's not able to eat yet as it can't even hold its head up much, the poor darling. I'm going to give it until morning (it's 10:30pm here in Australia) and then move it to the brooder under the heat lamp. I'm wondering if it needs a warm bath to soak the gunk off? It's winter here so a horrible time for having ducklings. My lounge room is full of peeps from all corners!

 

[CayugaMum]

You need warm water and Q tips and gently rub
Then let it warm up and go again
If you can take it in a bathroom that has the shower on hot running to heat the bathroom and causes humidity will help as well
I’m worried about baby being cold
As for the curled toes it just hatched and was assisted that’s not uncommon and may need 24 hours to straighten out
You don’t want to soak the duckling that’s why I use a Q tip and just do areas then warm up then do some more
Make sure the humidity is up in the bator
How did the other duckling mess the humidity up ?

I guess I just need to keep doing it repeatedly? It was very slow progress before.
Getting out of bed right now to up the humidity more!
The other ducklings were stampeding around and kept knocking the thermometer and the temp and humidity both dropped. I don't know how long the alarm was going off but it eventually woke me and I tried to fix it but it happened again later. Could also be because it is so cold here right now. My house has no insulation and it was 2 degrees Celsius last night.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thanks Miss Lydia and Kazino.
It's still in the incubator at the moment but I did give it some water at one point and it drank it. It's not able to eat yet as it can't even hold its head up much, the poor darling. I'm going to give it until morning (it's 10:30pm here in Australia) and then move it to the brooder under the heat lamp. I'm wondering if it needs a warm bath to soak the gunk off? It's winter here so a horrible time for having ducklings. My lounge room is full of peeps from all corners!

Don’t do a warm bath and don’t put it in the brooder till that goo is off
Up there humidity in the bator
Is baby the only one in the bator ?
If so maybe a little Vaseline in the area will help to loosen the goo
Put it on then leave baby for a half hour then do the warm water with Q tip rubbing Back and forth in that area

Don’t put it all over baby just small areas to work on each time
We don’t want other babies chewing on it so it would need ti be the only one in the bator

 

[Miss Lydia]

You need warm water and Q tips and gently rub
Then let it warm up and go again
If you can take it in a bathroom that has the shower on hot running to heat the bathroom and causes humidity will help as well
I’m worried about baby being Oh
As for the curled toes it just hatched and was assisted that’s not uncommon and may need 24 hours to straighten out
You don’t want to soak the duckling that’s why I use a Q tip and just do areas then warm up then do some more
Make sure the humidity is up in the bator
How did the other duckling mess the humidity up ?

I guess I just need to keep doing it repeatedly? It was very slow progress before.
Getting out of bed right now to up the humidity more!
The other ducklings were stampeding around and kept knocking the thermometer and the temp and humidity both dropped. I don't know how long the alarm was going off but it eventually woke me and I tried to fix it but it happened again later. Could also be because it is so cold here right now. My house has no insulation and it was 2 degrees Celsius last night.

Oh my goodness how are you keeping yourself and all your babies warm?

 

[CayugaMum]

Don’t do a warm bath and don’t put it in the brooder till that goo is off
Up there humidity in the bator
Is baby the only one in the bator ?
If so maybe a little Vaseline in the area will help to loosen the goo
Put it on then leave baby for a half hour then do the warm water with Q tip rubbing Back and forth in that area

Don’t put it all over baby just small areas to work on each time
We don’t want other babies chewing on it so it would need ti be the only one in the bator

Yep it's the only one in there. I switched it to the incubator I was using until day 25. I was given a different one for hatching because it maintains humidity better but it stinks so I set up the old one again. I'll give the vaseline a go in the morning, thanks!