Updated please help - Duckling not standing! (was Duckling still in shell 72 hours later)

[Charlie Chalk]

Update - The poor little thing is now just lying in the incubator, and has been since yesterday afternoon. He's too weak to stand and is just pushing himself around and peeping. I've tried to give him some sugar water but he won't take it. His bellybutton is still slightly sticking out. What are his chances of survival, and is there anything else I can do for him?

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Hi all, hope I'm posting in the right place! I have a duckling who pipped externally on Friday morning, and is still in the shell 72 hours later. All the other ducklings hatched sucessfully on day 28 (Saturday). Now I know ducklings can take a long time, but I'm worried about this one. Although by Saturday its beak was slightly out, it was completely silent and not making any of the chewing/yawning motions they usually do. Yesterday morning I noticed discharge and bubbles coming from its beak, I worried that it was drowning/aspirating, so broke off a bit of shell (to see what is going on), and helped free its beak some more from the membrane, but stopped as I realised the veins were still full. After a couple of minutes it did start to peep and has now been making chewing/yawning motions for over 24 hours. I'm monitoring the blood vessels and moistening the membrane with coconut oil, and humidity is 82%. I'm worried the membrane is sticking to its face (particularly the eye area). Is there anything else I can do? The veins are still visible and it's still making yawning motions. I'm trying to be realistic and not get my hopes up, but if I can save it, I want to. I can also see a foot up by it's beak, so I'm assuming there is a malposition going on too.

 

[sourland]

I would intercede slowly and stop immediately at the sign of bleeding/active blood vessels. It may be just a late developer. I think what you have done so far is the correct thing.

 

[Charlie Chalk]

I would intercede slowly and stop immediately at the sign of bleeding/active blood vessels. It may be just a late developer. I think what you have done so far is the correct thing.

Thank you I've managed to pull back the membrane over his eye, and free it quite a bit, so that I can see his wing flapping free. He's peeping a lot, but still yawning a bit so I've popped him back in his shell for a little while... I feel better knowing that I've got a lot of the membrane off as it was really sticking to him. I'm really hoping he can do the rest himself when he is ready, but I'm keeping a very close eye!

 

[DallasChickyMomma]

Thank you I've managed to pull back the membrane over his eye, and free it quite a bit, so that I can see his wing flapping free. He's peeping a lot, but still yawning a bit so I've popped him back in his shell for a little while... I feel better knowing that I've got a lot of the membrane off as it was really sticking to him. I'm really hoping he can do the rest himself when he is ready, but I'm keeping a very close eye!

I had a chick who had a problem with the membrane sticking, I put Neosporin on it to help keep it moist and it worked perfectly. I have read of others using coconut oil. I didn't see if you had done that or not, so maybe that will help you some!

 

[Charlie Chalk]

Thanks Well, he's made his way out, poor thing doesn't look great. He's still got a bit of a swollen tummy, although I can't actually see a yoke sac as such. He's not fully out of his egg (and as he's not fully absorbed I don't really want him to be, right?) So I've wrapped him in a soft cloth (it's dry, as I don't want to chill him. Unfortunately my incubator is too small to put him in a cup! He's now just laying on his side all floppy and peeping away.

 

[DallasChickyMomma]

Thanks Well, he's made his way out, poor thing doesn't look great. He's still got a bit of a swollen tummy, although I can't actually see a yoke sac as such. He's not fully out of his egg (and as he's not fully absorbed I don't really want him to be, right?) So I've wrapped him in a soft cloth (it's dry, as I don't want to chill him. Unfortunately my incubator is too small to put him in a cup! He's now just laying on his side all floppy and peeping away.

Sounds good though if he's peeping. Mine laid around for a full day before finally getting up the strength to walk around some, but now he's the biggest of all the chicks.

 

[Charlie Chalk]

Sounds good though if he's peeping. Mine laid around for a full day before finally getting up the strength to walk around some, but now he's the biggest of all the chicks.

That's good to know! I've managed to customise a cup (actually a tiny flower pot) that fits in the incubator and the shell in, and proped his head up on a soft cloth. So he's sat in the shell and I hope he'll absorb the yoke. He looks fairly comfy, but very weak and fagile. Poor little thing. I think I've done everything I can, and only time will tell. Thanks for your help!

 

[Charlie Chalk]

Update - The poor little thing is now just lying in the incubator, and has been since yesterday afternoon. He's too weak to stand and is just pushing himself around and peeping. I've tried to give him some sugar water but he won't take it. His bellybutton is still slightly sticking out. What are his chances of survival, and is there anything else I can do for him?

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Update - The poor little thing is now just lying in the incubator, and has been since yesterday afternoon. He's too weak to stand and is just pushing himself around and peeping. I've tried to give him some sugar water but he won't take it. His bellybutton is still slightly sticking out. What are his chances of survival, and is there anything else I can do for him?

How is your duckling doing @Dottheduck ? Sorry I didnt see your post till now.

 

[Charlie Chalk]

How is your duckling doing @Dottheduck ? Sorry I didnt see your post till now.

Really pleased to say, against all odds he has pulled through! I still keep a close eye on him, but he's in with the others, and they're all great friends. Although he's about half the size of them (despite only being 48 hours behind, he's more than capable of standing up for himself and is eating and drinking normally. It was a tough experience though, I'm not sure I'd do it again!