PLEASE HELP/ADVISE! When Should Ducklings Begin To Stand and Start Walking? Neck problem?

[Corvustristis]

I have a newly hatched duckling (9 hours since emerging fully with a small yolk sac still attached), and I'm wondering if the lack of progress is relatively normal. The little one has since absorbed the yolk sac and the "wound" has healed very well. Looks healthy and pink compared to the fresh red and bloody area that was apparent on the unabsorbed yolk sac earlier. I have now moved them into a brooder with heat lamp at 90F, only just drying out now as incubator was humid for hatching. I'm assuming that damp chicks would;t be up and running, but I am worried that the chick hasn't been able to raise their head and stand. What is usual for chicks/duckings? The little one is very vocal and kicking their legs out with an occasional flap of wing, they are mainly resting on their side and not on their back, they can occasionally push onto their front and get legs underneath body, but hasn't raised their head up. I don;t think the baby is lame as when I moved into dry brooder, the neck and head was being moved around and I felt some strength there, didn't seem floppy. So is this just a premature hatch and I can expect progress in 24 hours? Or are all newly hatched ducklings upright and able to hold head up and stand within hours? I feel that maybe this is due to being damp from incubator and tired from late sac absorption and the stress of hatching on their own. Should I consider a sugar water feed and vitamin/electrolyte tabs in a dropper? The little one snapped up some drops of water when being transferred.

Duckling is still moving frequently and being vocal, but mainly resting with eyes closed. I have dropper bottle with chick crumb mixed with water ready as this has vitamin E etc.

 

[Corvustristis]

UPDATE: Little one still cannot stand, has made attempts and thrown itself around the brooder, rolling and flailing around. Legs still kicking, scratching side of head. Head almost always folded round as if back in egg. They seem able to get feet underneath body but cannot support neck. Please does anyone have any experience and can tell me if this is normal for newly hatched ducklings? Are they initially too weak to support head, or i this very abnormal!?

 

[Amiga]

I think you are seeing what is in the range of normal. Hang on, let me check (I am not a hatcher, but I do sometimes follow hatching threads).

@dotknott
@Lacrystol
@Kevin565

 

[dotknott]

If it persists more than 24 hrs I would start to be concerned, but otherwise this isn't really out of the ordinary.

 

[dotknott]

The last of my hatchlings from last batch sprawled out flat and could have easily been confused for dead had the poor thing not been breathing so heavily.

Hatching is tough, and it will take a little bit for these guys to fully come into their own as ducklings.