Please help me save this duckling!

[BookWorm243]

We had a Mallard/Pekin chick pip yesterday, it was in the smallest egg out of the whole incubator. To be honest I shouldn't of set that egg and I have known that the whole time, but I had to try. After this duckling piped I decided to make the pip a little bigger for him. As soon as I did his whole beak came thru the opening in the shell. That's when I knew he was to big for the egg. I waited to see if he would get out be himself but by the evening I knew it was hopeless he couldn't even get back in the shell enough to start working at getting out. So I got to work, and it was clear that he wouldn't of gotten out without help. My question has to do with the fact that he had a little yolk sac attached. Its not big, maybe the size of a penny? It's hard to tell because the membrane? Is still attached to his bottom ( which I excpected it would be ) also he is missing feathers on his back and a few other spots. I am guessing it is because it was so tight in his shell. Since it is only in spots where he was against the shell. He stayed in the incubator over night be hasn't fluffed out or started walking. I also believe his yolk sac has broke!Should I be worried?What should I do to help him?

Thank You!!!

I will try to post a picture soon!

 

[BookWorm243]

Here are some pictures of him. I hope this helps!! The second one shows what I believe is the broken yolk sac?? Also do I need to get him to drink some water??

 

[kitkatbahr]

I hope someone can come along to help you. Someone with more experience than me. I have had to help three muscovy babies (during two different hatches). All of them were very weak and couldn't walk or stand or anything for a couple of days. I had them in a brooder separate from Mama hen and the bigger, stronger babies, who were all outside. I put a beanie baby in the brooder for her, made sure she was warm enough. She didn't even try to eat or drink for about 48 hours. Not til she was strong enough to sit up a bit and hold her head up.

My first one I helped is named Miracle. She is doing great and almost full grown now. It took a couple of weeks for her to be strong enough to go live outside with her siblings and mama though. The two I have now hatched four days ago, and only just now today are strong enough that I put them outside with mama and siblings for awhile. They are also doing great now. They were so bad I named them Weeble and Wobble. I was worried that Weeble had neurological problems because she kept almost spasming, throwing herself around, falling over on her back, etc. She couldn't sit up or anything for quite some time. The other siblings that hatched before her were all up and running, jumping, etc. She only hatched about 3 hours behind them, but was really, really weak. Wobble was hatched right before Weeble, and she was a tiny bit stronger, but not much. Although, she didn't have the weird spasming that Weeble did. Now they are outside with mama and siblings and it is very hard to tell which baby is which, as they all look a lot alike. I can tell though, cause when I call them and say duck, duck, duck, duck, and clap my hands softly, they come running to me! LOL

When Weeble hatched, there was something else in her egg. I don't think it was the yolk. It almost looked like a second chick that didn't develop very far along. It was weird. Also, Weebles unbilical hole didn't close up as fast as the others did. So, it was important that she stayed in the brooder, in a clean environment, Today, her hole is closed and she is pretty much "normal" although, she did kind of fall on her back a couple of times when she was running around. She was able to get herself back up pretty quick though.

I think your baby will be fine. Just make sure you keep her warm. Don't worry about food or water for at least another day. She will get stronger. She just probably needs a few more days to catch up to where she should be.

Good luck with her!

Kathy

 

[Oregon Blues]

It can take 2 days for ducklings to complete the process of hatching. If the yolk was still attached, the duckling wasn't mature enough to hatch.

Generally, if you leave them alone and let them rest, the rest of the yolk will be absorbed and the remainder fall off.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

What is all of the white powder?