Too long in the shell - crooked body/neck

[delynnel]

I had to help a little guy out of the shell on day 23 or 24 of the hatch - he was cheeping so energetically I couldn't leave him. Anyway, he has a floppy/crooked neck and also issues with his legs. I've banded his legs together but it isn't helping him keep upright b/c his neck keeps flopping backwards, back into the shape he was in in the shell. I can't find anything on the forum describing crooked neck as a result of being too long in the shell, only vitamin deficiency type issues. Does anyone have experience with this, is there anything I can do to help the little guy other than hand feeding and neck massages? I'm wondering about a splint of some sort? Thanks!

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Sometimes it takes awhile to straighten out. Had one hatch last week that was really big and it took him a full day to straighten out and do well. As far as the legs. Sometimes they are just wobbly for a while. Could be spaddle leg or just fresh out of the egg and hasn't got his legs under him yet. I guess my question is "just how long has he been out of the egg?"

 

[delynnel]

He's been out one full day and night - no improvement with either neck or legs.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

My recommendation would be lots of vitamins and splinting.

 

[Erica]

Hi delynnel,
more likely he couldn't get out of the shell because of a weakness... They really need neck and legs to work properly to be able to turn in the egg and hatch. I'd say go with nutrition as well, and also try gentle massage.
cheers
Erica

 

[1234duck]

delynnel, I'm so sorry to hear about your little guy. I'm going through just about the same thing but with my duckling. I started helping out of shell on Wednesday. but had to absorb yolk still then was out of shell Thursday night. Poor baby cant walk,feet & legs are messed up. With the help of my daughter & mom we all make sure it gets food & water it cant get to the food by itself. we offer it to the baby all day & night. Hatch day was Friday 4/22. It was 5 days late hatching. It really sucks that this happens its so sad, well for me it is anyways. After having your face up to the bator for soooo long & talking to the rocking egg before and after you could see the lil guy, its just so heart breaking. If nobody has answers for you here then go to the "DUCKS" topic and follow the post..."WHEN SHOULD YOU HELP A HATCH?/DAY 33" . It's ducks, but I'm sure the help would be the same or close for what to do. }}}}} "duckyfromoz" is the best help. She has experience with this kind of tragic stuff. Read the posts and post yours there they are still responding to my posts there. Good luck with your little guy hope he gets better real soon. Here is my baby duckling & it breaks my heart each day, ~Julie~

 

[delynnel]

thanks everyone, I will check out the duck post. It is really sad, I don't want to put him out of his misery unless there's absolutely no way to help him.
@White Mountains Ranch - Can you clarify "splint"? I've heard putting them in a coffee cup?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I've heard of popsicle sticks or blunt toothpicks, and band-aids. I would do the feet & legs for sure, and asap, sometimes just a few days is all that's needed for those, not sure about the neck, you can try a very loose splint, to at least get it in the right position so the muscles can get used to it. Also massage and lots of vitamins!

 

[1234duck]

Also there is this soft medical tape they use at hospitals to wrap around like splints or to wrap a broken finger its not sticky but as you wrap it around it will grab or stick to the other layer of the medical tape/wrap. as you keep wrapping(but not too tight)it will make the leg or what ever your wrapping stay in position. my mom got a roll yesterday(its pink with hearts on it, comes in diff. colors) also while holding or securing it also isn't too hard to remove(so you won't be pulling or putting pressure on the little frail bones. It looks like an ace bandage rolled up but colored when you get it. To make the feet stay open, if there like balled up/closed like a fist, you open/spread them best as you can then stick something with sticky on one side and it will stay flat to make as a support. it can't fold or close if the foot does. I used a sticky pad for peoples feet for corns or calasus *(spelling) non medicated and you cut the shape or size you need. ~Julie~

 

[TreeHugger]

Poor baby. I had a peachick last year that spent to much time in the egg. He would have died but I went out of town over the weekend and had my mom egg sit. He started to hatch but two days later hadn't made it out. My mom broke him out of the egg and his legs, toes and head were twisted plus his little head was swollen. It took splints, his toes taped to cardboard and days of "physical therapy" plus hand feeding to keep him alive. After about a week he looked like a normal peachick.