Warning! Somewhat graphic photo. Hatching

[AnjjEvans]

Help! First time hatching ducks, and it came out like this.. is it going to make it? Its moving around like its trying to get the rest of it off

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. Does this look lie it might be unabsorbed yolk?

 

[AnjjEvans]

View attachment 4176855
Welcome to BYC. Does this look lie it might be unabsorbed yolk?

Its laying on its stomach, it could be? Idk I guess i assumed it would be yellow its laying right by its butt/back leg

 

[AnjjEvans]

View attachment 4176855
Welcome to BYC. Does this look lie it might be unabsorbed yolk?

It moved away more and yes it does look like unabsorbed yolk. That membrane looking stuff is all over it now. Duck is moving and making noise

 

[kattabelly]

I had a chick hatch like this recently. Does that look like the navel has closed around it, or is it still open?

 

[AnjjEvans]

I had a chick hatch like this recently. Does that look like the navel has closed around it, or is it still open?

Is it safe to pick it up? It hasn't shown its naval at all but its moving around a lot and it looks like the sac has gotten smaller

 

[kattabelly]

Is it safe to pick it up? It hasn't shown its naval at all but its moving around a lot and it looks like the sac has gotten smaller

Brilliant, if it's getting smaller then hopefully it's still absorbing it. I'd leave it for now then and wait to see how much more it goes down.

I suspect there's still going to be some tissue left outside but give it time and with a bit of luck it won't be too bad and the navel will close up around it. At that point, depending on how it ends up, you might need to tie off what's left outside and possibly remove it yourself.

 

[AnjjEvans]

Brilliant, if it's getting smaller then hopefully it's still absorbing it. I'd leave it for now then and wait to see how much more it goes down.

I suspect there's still going to be some tissue left outside but give it time and with a bit of luck it won't be too bad and the navel will close up around it. At that point, depending on how it ends up, you might need to tie off what's left outside and possibly remove it yourself.

If it ends up coming to that, how do I remove it?

 

[kattabelly]

If it ends up coming to that, how do I remove it?

I've done this successfully but that doesn't mean it'll always work, and it's impossible to say how similar the cases actually are. I also gave prophylactic antibiotics to help prevent infection - not sure how much more of a risk it'd be without them.

Wash your hands and everything else really thoroughly first. Use something like isopropyl if you have it.

Clean all around the duckling's navel. Tie it off tightly with a disinfected piece of something like sewing thread - only try this if it looks like the navel is closed up as much as it can around the tissue, the sticky-out bit is thin where it leaves the body and it doesn't look like anything else (like its guts or major blood vessels) is coming out through the opening. Cut off the loose ends of the thread, close as you safely can to the knot. Cut it off just past the tie, using a clean (disinfected) and sharp tool like a scalpel, razor blade or small scissors. There should be very little bleeding but be prepared to blot it with something clean - I used gauze soaked in isopropyl. Apply iodine or an antiseptic cream to the navel.