Please take a look at this picture and tell me what I need to do---Duckling

[Kwyjibo]

Hi All,

Thanks to those of you who are taking the time to help me out with this. I have a duckling in the incubator whose egg was "crushed" just a couple of days from his hatching. I wasn't there when it happened but hubby rescued him. Anyway, he's made very good progress.....yolk sac is absorbed.....umbilical chord detached from shell......However, he has this large piece that is dried still attached. It has shrunk some since last night. I don't know what to make of it and there is a terrible smell in the incubator that I haven't had w/ other ducklings and chicks that have had to go into the incubator due to a still present yolk sac.

Is this yolk sac remnant or is it intestines that are "herniated"? He seems fine on all other counts but isn't eating yet--I don't expect him to take much of an interest in eating for another day or so maybe.

What do you think? The pictures are blurry--sorry but it's enough where you can see what I'm concerned about.

Thanks again, Julia--Bride of Kwyjibo

PS I can take better pictures if you need.

 

[Amiga]

I am not a hatcher, but a nasty smell means to me, bacteria, do not put any ducklings in there till it is cleaned. I don't recall, are there other eggs in there? If so, I would move them and quickly sanitize the incubator and then replace the eggs. All kinds of sickness can come from bacteria in the incubator.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have some iodine? or betadine? if so then water it down till it looks like wek tea then take gauze or cotton ball and saturate it and clean what ever that is, it hard to see for me, but it could just be the umbilical cord that hasn't dropped off, but Like Amiga you need to get the duckling out of there and disinfect the bator. Put baby into brooder with light to keep it warm. when did it hatch? in about 3 days they usually will start to eat and drink. Also Veterycin will work to spray on it too.

 

[Kwyjibo]

Thanks. I'm disinfecting the incubator right now. I get the feeling the smell is coming from him but. How would I go about cleaning him and the umbilical cord area? The iodine solution? Here's some more pictures that are better. If you click on them you should get a bigger pic. Thanks again for taking an interest---it makes raising critters much easier when there are people willing to lend advice

 

[Amiga]

Yes, the iodine is a disinfectant. If you don't have that or are concerned about using iodine (some people seem to have skin allergies to iodine), some sort of gentle disinfectant is what you need. Perhaps a one-third hydrogen peroxide to two-thirds water solution would be good, even some salty water has some antibacterial effect.

Omphalitis is a systemic infection that is fatal (sorry but I thought you would want to know), so catching anything that may be infected around the umbilicus (belly button) early ought to be able to head that off.

I would not use ointment at this point, since I feel it would be better for it to remain dry.

Vetericyn is a good idea, too, but not available everywhere.

 

[Wynette]

I hate to sound like a wet blanket, but I am wondering if this is not umbilical cord, but intestines...I'm not familiar with hatching ducks, but every now & then, with chicks, one will hatch with its intestines coming out. That would account for a nasty smell. Can you get a close-up picture of the portion protruding?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Still hard to see but I would think if it was intestines the duckling wouldn't be looking as healthy, it looks pretty healthy from here. Again how old is the duckling? have you tried to see if it will take any water? unless it just hatched. I don't know but wouldn't it be on it's death bed if it's intestines were hanging out? It's so cute

 

[Kwyjibo]

Thank you for staying with me on this. So,I've disinfected his incubator and cleaned him up entirely w/ an iodine solution. He smells better! Whew! Strong stank! So, I tried getting a better close up but it just keeps coming out too blurry. But it looks like an "outie" belly button at the base and it is a thick dried strand attached and the rest is a dried clump of tissue of some sort. I'm wondering.....stupid question.....is the umbilical cord attached to where the vent is?

He seems fine so far but I realize he may not make it if there is infection or this happens to be intestines. I have 27 ducklings in all right now and more on the way. Yikes! This will be the last time I let the girls brood. I'm still new at this.

Thanks again.

 

[Kwyjibo]

I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your questions....He was taken from the egg 2 nights ago and I have tried to get him to take water. He'll drink when his bill is dipped but isn't drinking on his own yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your questions....He was taken from the egg 2 nights ago and I have tried to get him to take water. He'll drink when his bill is dipped but isn't drinking on his own yet.

Thats a good sign though that it will take water when you dip it's bill in it. does his vent look like it is plugged up with what ever this is? No cord is attached where their tummy is just like on a baby. Sounds like your girls got carried which seems to be the norm with ducks. 27 ducklings. WOW