twisted duckling

[Cazook]

a duckling pipped yesterday and finally made it out today. i noticed it was falling over in the incubator while drying out and saw there was 'egg goo' (dunno what it is, wet green/brown stuff seemingly attached to inner membrane of shell) which meant it was trying to drag the egg around while trying to move. the goo got twisted around the duckling's leg too. once it dried halfway i took it out and gently unwrapped the goo and got it off. but there is something wrong with the duckling - it can't stand (feet fall forward, like it can't get onto it's feet, almost as if the feet are 'backwards' (though i am used to chickens so maybe this is normal placement)) and its neck is twisted to side. if i hold the neck in place it seems almost normal but then when letting go it flops back to the side. it keeps trying to get to its feet and failing. i dipped its beak in water for a drink but it won't take any crumbs yet (bit early anyway)

what caused this? is it fixable?

 

[Trisseh]

i had 2 ducklings that hatched from my last batch that were similar, both took much longer than normal (even for a duck!) to hatch, when they did they had “goo” stuck to them, and then both were showing neurological signs - holding themselves in odd positions, unable to hold their heads straight, unable to stand. They also had an odd smell to them. One of mine for sure had omphalitis; tried treating it but yeah, there isn’t really any fixing that... the first duckling to hatch was fine, no issues, the next was dopey and floppy and a little stuck to its shell, and the last was extreme. My feeling on these ones is that 1. My ventilation was inadequate, and humidity was too high once the first hatched, 2. My incubator was dirty from the dirty eggs (not mine, I purchased them, and 3. I may have waited too long to investigate.

It’s hard to lose them, but sometimes it happens. The first of these 2 to pass was similar to yours, except that it somehow wedged itself between the wrap on the heating pad and the frame holding it up, even though it was duct taped together. Go figure. I sometimes feel that the ones that aren’t meant to make it, somehow ensure they don’t.

These forums are great, soooo much info and so many knowledgeable people, but there are a ton of threads posted and updated constantly. A lot of us don’t always get every notification either, so sometimes if someone is tagged, they don’t even know it.
Sometimes it helps to hop on a similar thread and link back. It’s hard to keep track of so many threads at one time.

 

[Cazook]

anyone? all i do so far is feed it via syringe every hour or so since it can't move or get onto its feet. i try holding it up in correct position so it can strengthen legs by pushing against the floor. but its toes are curled like it doesnt even try to use them. i think it can hold its head up a little stronger now but it is still bent at strange angle.

 

[viennaproto]

@Isaac 0 ?

 

[Isaac 0]

a duckling pipped yesterday and finally made it out today. i noticed it was falling over in the incubator while drying out and saw there was 'egg goo' (dunno what it is, wet green/brown stuff seemingly attached to inner membrane of shell) which meant it was trying to drag the egg around while trying to move. the goo got twisted around the duckling's leg too. once it dried halfway i took it out and gently unwrapped the goo and got it off. but there is something wrong with the duckling - it can't stand (feet fall forward, like it can't get onto it's feet, almost as if the feet are 'backwards' (though i am used to chickens so maybe this is normal placement)) and its neck is twisted to side. if i hold the neck in place it seems almost normal but then when letting go it flops back to the side. it keeps trying to get to its feet and failing. i dipped its beak in water for a drink but it won't take any crumbs yet (bit early anyway)

what caused this? is it fixable?

Without a picture of the navel area, it'd hard to tell a cause of death. If the duckling was still absorbing yolk, the area may have become infected with omphalitis.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

why did noone care about this post btw. every post here gets a response and not this? you could've helped.

I'm sorry. I've been posting for days about a hen losing feathers around her vent and no responses. Sometimes the right people just aren't on here to answer your question, or no one knows the answer. Poultry keeping in is hard and we are often left with unanswered questions. This was NOT your fault. I've sat and watched babies eat pine shavings and am baffled that any ever survive to adulthood, but they do. It's hard to see those sweet babies pass, but it happens. Please don't blame yourself.

 

[Trisseh]

Also. Not every baby with omphalitis will be that classic presentation of mushy chicks with big abdomens or an obvious navel issue. The clinic I work at sent some broiler chicks to the lab to do a necropsy on; to look at those chicks, they didn’t look bad, unless you took a really close look at the navel which was ever so slightly raised. We got a report back that they were septic from omphalitis. The partially absorbed yolk sacs inside the chicks were infected, but you couldn’t tell that from the outside.

 

[Cazook]

i got upset about the death and took it out on the forum. i know i've had good advice here, it's just hard at this time. sorry guys. thanks for your responses.

 

[DarkWater1929]

I am nearly a year late for this discussion, but I can't help but reply. I know the feeling SO well, of regretting an action, or inaction, that cost some little creature its life. There is no comfort to be found! It almost makes it worse when people say things that ease my conscience for a moment, because then I remember that, while I am seeking to excuse myself, there is no comfort for my ... pet. My little friend, who relied upon me. And, yes, I do more than most people would do. But, what difference does it make, if I don't do enough, or don't do it right? Same outcome as if I had done nothing. Or worse, maybe, because I prolonged the suffering. It just SUCKS. That's all. I agonize over all of them! Good Lord, I can drive myself crazy, thinking about the lives of commercial laying hens, or meat birds, or dairy calves, or even just the day old chicks, shipped through the mail. They must be so cold, and afraid, and they have no way to understand. I feel so much rage, and so much helpless impotence. Truly, I could make myself crazy with grief, did I not refuse to think of the fate of animals, mine and not mine. But, the banishing of the thoughts brings with it its own allotment of misery and guilt. I love them so much,and they are so deserving! But, my lack of money, veterinary education, "free time," space, and youthful endurance shackle my ability to give them everything they need and to which they should be entitled. Yes. I know. Humans are suffering, too. I guess I could add them to the cast of characters that keep me awake at night. But, plenty of people devote themselves to helping humans in need. I trust those people to do what I cannot. To be honest, I would rather help critters than most people, anyway. They always do their best for themselves and their families. Buy, I am way off on a rant/blather. Forgive me. I found this post, searching for help with a little duckling that cannot walk on it's own. I hope I can save him! He is only days old, and loves to cuddle. Thank you for giving me a chance to put in words, what I have grieved over, but never really fully expressed. I am sorry if I made anyone feel bad.

 

[Cazook]

Hi DarkWater, I share the anger and sadness at all this suffering going on in the world too. Especially the animals that are just born into short upsetting lives for profit. It helps me to make a small difference in the lives of few chickens even if my actions are dwarfed in the face of everything else going on. But I think it's important to seek solace and peace as well as making ourselves miserable about misery just seems to be adding to the pile! You can only do what you can.

I hope you find help for your duck, thanks for sharing your thoughts...