What is normal after hatching?

[cdnley]

My egg hatched just under 48 hr period. It was having a hard time as it was "breech" and the yolk sac was on the side and not on the bottom of the egg. So its now been a few hours since it was born. It is just laying there peeping and trying to move around but so far it hasn't got up. It moves around a bit but no standing. Its tummy which was attached to umbilical cord looks a bit like an outie belly button. I don't think this is normal so I am worried about it. What should I expect or look for or even do to help it out!

Thanks

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Don't worry about the belly. It just hasn't absorbed all the yolk yet. It will be much better tomorrow. Keep the baby warm or in the incubator if you can. I have an extra incubator as a nursery so I can keep special needs babies in there for another 24 hours. Your baby was in a bad position in the egg and that can call for temporary movement issues. I had ducklings that could not walk for 2 days or were moving funny. All I did is gave them electrolytes with vitamin and they all came around, after 3 days you could not tell the difference. Get a vitamin pack or poult pak for your babies. PS all my babies get this additive in their drinking water for the first 12 days.

 

[cdnley]

The Duck ABC's :

Don't worry about the belly. It just hasn't absorbed all the yolk yet. It will be much better tomorrow. Keep the baby warm or in the incubator if you can. I have an extra incubator as a nursery so I can keep special needs babies in there for another 24 hours. Your baby was in a bad position in the egg and that can call for temporary movement issues. I had ducklings that could not walk for 2 days or were moving funny. All I did is gave them electrolytes with vitamin and they all came around, after 3 days you could not tell the difference. Get a vitamin pack or poult pak for your babies. PS all my babies get this additive in their drinking water for the first 12 days.

Thanks for this info!!!
Daisy (we named her) is doing better now. Every hour that passes she seems to be reviving a bit. This is my first experience hatching and this special situation was not expected. On day 28/29 she pipped through the middle of the egg. The pip was nice and normal looking. Hours passed without really hearing her chirp or seeing any progress. All I could see was her beak tip going in and out slowly. Then I realized she was upside down..so the smaller egg tip was right side up for her. More hours passed and nothing was happening. I chipped away a bit and discovered her foot and leg over top of her face (picture her face in the knee bend). Once her leg was free I noticed that the placenta was beside her head. She could not move at all. Her body was resting on the top of her head and her leg was over her face..I do not think that without my assistance she would not have hatched. She was quiet and not moving all too much several hours later, there was never any progress besides the initial pip. I chipped away at the shell some more..it was a slow process but I wanted her to try to get free herself (which she never did). So she was wrong side up with the placenta attached on the side of the egg, her head was behind her knee and the other leg was somewhere on the other side of her. As soon as she was free of the shell she was very chirpy but very tired and unable to move much. She just laid there.
Now that I know this is not normal I am not suprised she has a weak neck and can't really get up too well right now. She is able to lift her head for a few seconds now and is becoming more stable. I am trying to give her electrolyte, which is easier said than done! She tries to escape my hand which is a good sign!

Daisy is a Roen/Black Swedish cross and has an orange neck and white tipped wings. Her beak is black on top and yellow on the bottom and her feet are black and yellow. She looks really neat!

Here is a pic of her relaxing in the bator.

 

[Axle Quails]

Aww cute

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Don't force the electrolytes. One bill full every 6 hours is more then enough. Try to use something like a shot glass so you can dip the bill in and lift the head after that for the swallow. One bill full at a time, not more then that. You can also add a little bit of yogurt into it for a tiny amount of protein. Reality is they can go for 3 days without food, because of the yolk they have to absorb. Letting is rest is the best you can do for the little one.

 

[cdnley]

Here is Daisy 7 hours later.

 

[BarefootMom]

thank you for this!! describes my situation to a T!!

 

[cdnley]

Quote:
Really? How is your duck now? Mine can hold her head up for only a few seconds but is slowly straightening out. She also can jump pretty good too. When she rolls onto her back it is very hard for her to get rolled over but overally things are getting better. I hope in a few days she will be okay!