I posted some things on the thread "Raising Wood Ducks" but I have a couple questions that I'd like answers to....better answers than just Googling. I've got a chick that hatched this morning (the egg fell from a nest in a bad storm, was cracked but the chick was peeping. Got him unstuck from the dry sticky shell and he popped himself out). There was a bit of the yolk sack, but that's since gone away, but the new problem is the hind end looks swollen and there's a bit of tissue stuck to it. I'd read on a different thread about applying a teeny bit of antibiotic ointment, which I did after cleaning with a sterile cotton swab. I'm wondering if I'm doomed with the infection chicks get there. I left the chick to rest in the shell until he popped out on his own, but I should preface that with the fact the egg was cracked when it fell from the tree so I'm sure it is out of the shell sooner that it want's to be, but it peeps and wiggles a lot. Next question: how long before he starts to try standing and open his eyes up? He seems a teeny bith lethargic, until he's frantic, then he's quiet again. He's not fluffy yet, but he was out of the shell about 8:00am CST this morning.
final question. I have an intact egg from the same nest (there were a total of 5, 3 are already gone). It seems to have already started pipping (looks just like the pictures I saw) but nothing's changed since I found it yesterday late afternoon. It's moving inside, I can feel it and sometimes see it. I have a small home made incubator made from a cardboard box, a towel on the bottom, a clamp light aimed towards the back of the box to prevent too direct radiant heat, a towel safely covering to hold in heat (maintains at about 100F, sometimes up or down a degree. There's a wet sponge in the corner for humidity and the towel is damp about halfway across. I also lay a very warm damp paper towel on the egg for short periods of time to keep the shell moisturized (damp, not wet, and always warm water (as close to 100 as I can get it) and only for a few minutes. At what point do I need to help this little guy? I don't hear any peeps from it.
Thanks so much. I did post a couple pictures of my hatched chick on the other forum.
final question. I have an intact egg from the same nest (there were a total of 5, 3 are already gone). It seems to have already started pipping (looks just like the pictures I saw) but nothing's changed since I found it yesterday late afternoon. It's moving inside, I can feel it and sometimes see it. I have a small home made incubator made from a cardboard box, a towel on the bottom, a clamp light aimed towards the back of the box to prevent too direct radiant heat, a towel safely covering to hold in heat (maintains at about 100F, sometimes up or down a degree. There's a wet sponge in the corner for humidity and the towel is damp about halfway across. I also lay a very warm damp paper towel on the egg for short periods of time to keep the shell moisturized (damp, not wet, and always warm water (as close to 100 as I can get it) and only for a few minutes. At what point do I need to help this little guy? I don't hear any peeps from it.
Thanks so much. I did post a couple pictures of my hatched chick on the other forum.
