Raising Wood Ducks

[destinduck]

Regardless of what it is If you have used an incubator you might have a shot at getting one or two to hatch.If you dont its alot lot tougher. If its peeping it may be real cloce to hatching.You dont want to peel the shell away all the way because we dont know if the yolk is absorbed all the way. but if its peeping its breathing and shouldnt have much or any yolk left. You just have to be careful it doesnt get shrink wrapped if it gets too dryed out staying in the shell. You can help it out but first sign of blood you have to stop! Pics always help and for us to tell you what kind of waterfowl it is. Then we can tell you what to feed them if and when they get out of the shell okay. They dont have to eat the first day out of the egg

Good luck!

 

[Mothsgal]

Thanks for the reply's. We made an incubator from a cardboard box with a towel on the bottom and a clamp light that's not directed right at the eggs to minimize direct radiant heat and a towel covering. The temp is a constant 100. One of the chicks passed last night, it was very exposed and received a lot of damage in the fall. The second one that's exposed from the fall is still breathing and peeping (once in a while) and wiggling a little bit. The membrane that was exposed is pretty much off (I called a hatchery that has ducks, but not wood ducks, and she said to use a moist paper towel (warm) and gently help the membrane so they don't get stuck. I tried this very carefully just to the edge of the shell. No bleeding except from the initial fall/crack and that was a teeny bit and it's stopped. He/she seems to be resting tonight (do the "sleep" at night?), not as much movement, but still sticks out it's tongue and wiggles a bit. Breathing regular. Should I try to get it the rest of the way out of the shell (it's almost halfway out, still curled up but trying to move it's feet) or should I just let it be and see what happens at this point? I don't want to handle it to death, but I don't want to neglect it to death either. The intact egg has a small round area where it's slightly cracked and pushed out as if it's starting to hatch. That hasn't changed since yesterday. It wiggled a bit last night and I could feel it moving when I first picked it up...little ticks. I still feel a little movement, but it's also quieter over night. I've not heard any peeps. I put a damp paper towel in the box to keep the humidity up a bit...I'll switch to a clean sponge. The head that's peeking out has stripes over the eyes. Could they be something other than wood ducks so high up in a tree? Thanks again for any and all advice and information!

 

[Mothsgal]

Here's my little guy (or gal). He/she is very active this morning. Moving a lot, twitching, peeping and opening his mouth. He's very reactive to sound. He/she has scootched out of it's shell quite a bit, but doesn't seem to be determined to come out all the way. The foot will swing out, the wing will go out and he'll lift his head out, but then tuck everything back in. I can see the yolk sack (visible in the pic's). I read on a different post to just leave him be and it will absorb on it's own (in that post the chick survived and thrived)...??? I don't want to help him out the rest of the way unless he's ready and just stuck. Can anyone identify definitively that it's a wood duck? Also, the intact egg is also much more active this morning, wiggling and bouncing and rolling a bit. No sounds from it yet, though. No change in the crack. After a completely sleepless night, I'm feeling more optimistic this morning. I know we're not out of the woods by any means yet, but it's looking much better.

 

[Mothsgal]

Don't mean to dominate this thread, but I have an update. Our little guy is out of the shell. He was so active and moving around, but his head was obviously stuck to the inside of the shell. I gently moistened the side of his head and lifted the shell ever so carefully and as soon as it was free he popped right out of the shell on his own. The yolk sack is quite a bit smaller than it was during the night and even when he came out of the shell at about 8:00 CST. If all goes well, when should we see him trying to stand and when should I provide water....and will he instinctively know how to drink? The intact shell continues to be a jumping bean.

 

[TopHatsNSpats]

It looks like the wild Woodie I found here the other day; those claws say it is definitely a perching duck of some kind. I would bet Woodie, but I haven't seen all that many Woodie babies so someone else here might know better (I've only had about a dozen or so over the years, counting the little one we had last week.) I wish you all the luck in the world, it is easy to get attached when you spend this much time trying to get one here.

 

[Mothsgal]

Our second egg hatched this morning! I did help a little bit. He'd pipped a little bit but hadn't done anything else so I carefully zipped around the edge of the shell and he let himself out, no yolk sack. He's pretty tired so not doing much; wiggling and peeping a bit. His umbilicus bled a little bit, but I cleaned it up with a sterile cotton swab and applied a little antibiotic ointment and he's doing great. Now, I don't know what happens...when will he lift his head up and start walking? Our little guy #1 is starting to get fluffy, his infected umbilicus is looking much much better. Swelling is way down, no more oozing. He's still not lifting his head or opening his eyes (once in a while they half open). I gave him a few drops of water yesterday evening with a sterile syringe (no needle) and he perked up a lot. I did that again at about 3am and he looked better. I'm guessing the fall from the tree caused his early arrival and he just needs to "catch up" as if he were still in the egg. He's the same size as his sibling.

When should I move them out of this little box with the closer light and very warm temps to a bigger home with heat lamp off to the side and their food and water? Advice on how to set it up. I've heard they jump a lot so the new home needs to have high sides. I was thinking of a plastic bin/tote with holes drilled in it to let the water drain out. I'll put down a towel so it's not so slippery. Add a little box that they can go into if they want and the lamp on one side. Does that sound reasonable? Please advise!! I need to know what to do so I don't doom these little guys! I'm learning so much from this forum!

 

[destinduck]

Woodduck. I wouldnt move either or help them further them till they are standing and walking on their own. Congrats .They are looking good. Youre doing fine!

However as soon as they can stand they are going to have to be in some box with high slick sides to keep them contained. lol! No matter what kinda duck after they can stand and look fluffy I grab them and dip the bills in the water a coupla times a day the first or second days. I also sprinkle a little food dust in the water. After the second day I dip the bill in the water and then into the food I have so it sticks to their bills. All this does is get them to eat on their own. As soon as they are drinking /eating on their own I stop. Sometimes they will just drink but if I dont see them eat I dip the bills in the food till t see them eat. Also seems like any movement gets them eating so if you can move your finger in the food around them I feel that helps.Most get the idea.

 

[Mothsgal]

Thank you!! They are already trying to walk....I can't believe the improvement from baby #1 over night. They're both resting right now, but both are trying to walk and eyes are starting to open. The change in just 2 hours is amazing! I'm thinking of making a plastic bin the new home...high slick sides. Thanks for the advice on how to get them feeding and drinking. I have to leave the house for about 4 hours today and I'm a little nervous. Maybe I'll set their little home inside the bigger one just in case. Here's a pictures of the cuties snoozing! They are exhausted. I'm amazed at how close the two look in size and maturity especially with #1 (top) was out of his shell more than 24 hours earlier. I'm pretty sure he was supposed to arrive after #2 but the fall changed those plans. Thank you so much for your advice!

 

[Mothsgal]

This is #2 looking fantastic.

This is #1 looking a little tired but amazingly better!

 

[Mothsgal]

Here's the 2 beauties...doing wonderfully. Eating and drinking. They love romaine lettuce. I'm wondering, though...could they actually be mallards? The eye stripe goes through the eye to the bill, where the images of the wood duck babies eye stripe starts at the eye and runs back. I just want to make sure I care for them correctly...if they're mallards, do they need to get in the water right away?