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

[Amiga]

That lil bit of yellow does make me think of yolk and maybe you should give him a few more days. you can set him up in a brood box with some water with vitamins or save a chick with heat and stuffed animal for comfort. and keep cleaning that area off with the iodine /water solution. if the lil one doesn't appear to be in pain or acting sickly then maybe just wait and see how it looks even tomorrow.

I agree, Miss Lydia that the yellow could be yolk. I think some TLC and watchfulness and time would be the way to go at this point.

 

[Wynette]

I think the yellow may be yolk, too - I hope that is what it is. It worries me that he's not very perky, but with some TLC, he may just perk up for you! Are his eyes clear & bright? Is he talking to you?
I agree with the others...give him another full day and compare how he is 24 hours from now, to how he is today...if he's gone downhill, might be time to think about culling. In the meantime, take some time & look more closely at the yellow spot - so that you can compare how it looks now, to how it will look in 24 hours. I think the fact that it looks dry as compared to moist may be a good thing. BEST of luck! Hope he pulls through.

 

[Sylverfly]

I would guess yolk that was not absorbed. I had a duckling hatch early with the same thing on his belly button mine didn't eat for days and couldn't even walk for days either. He didn't smell bad but he did have a old blood kind of metallic/ slight bad egg smell on him for a few days. He had a bigger yellow spot then that on his belly. He ended up absorbing a little then when it dried enough he pulled the crusty dry stuff and remaining yolk of himself. He grew up and became a healthy adult hen duck, I just always called it a he so it was a surprise to me when she quacked and turned out he was a she. Don't give up to early sometimes they surprise you, and remember, there is such a thing as too clean, if you use something that kills bacteria it probably also kills the good bacteria that aids in healing and preventing infection. Just my experience and 2 cents I guess.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

a little neosporin (no pain relief) and some no stick gauze with vet wrap to hold it in place would do the duckling some good. It will keep the spot moist and allow the absorption to finish. Dont block the tail and back end so the duckling can still poo. Even a bandaid over the neo on it will help keep it moist. Not allowing the yolk (if thats what it is) to dry out will help it shrink as its absorbed. Good luck

 

[Miss Lydia]

So are you saying Celtic and Sylverfly that she shouldn't use the iodine solution anymore? I have never seen this in any duckling that I have hatched so wasn't sure but thought maybe the iodine would help to dry it up. But maybe using neo and bandaid would be better. I don't know.

 

[Kwyjibo]

Thank you everyone for sticking with me on this. It's all a learning experience, isn't it? I have a feeling that what's going on is a result of trauma from the egg being crushed. He did have a bloody yolk sac but as it went away, what you see in the pics is what was left behind. I checked him a little bit ago and the stem still appears to have blood flow. I suspect intestines. Poor little feller. We'll see how it goes.
I really appreciate all of your inputs

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

you dont want the yolk to dry out as it needs to be pliable and moist as it goes in.

alittle sugar water or save a chick will go a long way to perk the duckling up too

 

[Miss Lydia]

We're all rooting for the lil one.

 

[dominicsaturday]

I had 15 eggs in a home made incubator.

I know exactly what your going through. One of my little guys hatched first, way toooo soon. He hadn't absorbed all his yolk sac yet. I gave him as much care and attention as I could. He looked nearly like what you have with your duckling. He acted the same way when I tried to get him to drink water. Would do it if I dunked him, but not on his own. He was always tired, lethargic.

I kept him warm and comfy, but unfortunately he lived for 2 days and stopped breathing last night.

If that duckling will eat, then I suspect he will be just fine. However, two of mine were not properly developed and would not eat. That is how I knew something was wrong.

I could never have the heart to cull him, but that's just me. Just give him as much love as possible, and whatever happens happens. If it is meant to be, he will pull through.

If not, then it wasn't meant to be.

My fingers are crossed and I'm wishing your ducky a speedy recovery.

Keep us updated.

 

[duckmamma]

I'm with Dominic...why kill the underdog...one should be rooting for it, no? If it is destined to die, then give it the best life you can while you have it. At least it will know it was loved.
I had a mallard hatch a few days premature and she is one of my favorite ducks. I swabbed her yolk sac with a nanosilver solution a few times a day, and she did just fine. It looked a bit hairy for a few days, and she was a little weak, but she came around. She's a little smaller than the other ducks, but she is very intelligent. I learn new things about duck behavior from her every day.