How do I look after an early hatched duckling?

[Anonymous]

Hi

I think I did a really stupid thing but I'm a novice. My call duck sucessfully hatched 3 eggs after a long 32 days! I could hear that a 4th egg was alive but no cracks were showing. On day 34 I decided to chip the egg and have a look. He had broken the inner membrane, there was a little blood, and I can still see his yolk sack on the stomach (im guessing this is the yolk sack). Now I feel I have rushed him and he isn't ready yet - but its day 34!

How do I make sure he is ok whilst he is still absorbing? There is only a bit of eggshell around his bottom end, the rest is exposed. I've taken him from the mother and put him with some wet tissue and a lamp on him. I don't have an incubator. He is quite vocal. Is he going to survive?

 

[dorsetduckowner]

I am certainly no expert on this matter but it could have been a late egg so he wasn't ready to come out yet. The exact correct temperature and humidity levels are quite crucial here though.
I hope there is someone on this forum who is an expert on hatching. In the mean time you could try calling the Call Duck Association, see here for their details:

http://www.callducks.net/problems.htm

Or you could post something on the breeder forum here:
http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewforum.php?f=17

Try private messaging someone on there who seems to have good knowledge of these issues.

Good luck and keep us updated!

Zo
x

 

[Anonymous]

At this point it's impossible to tell. I can understand why you wanted to help as day 34 is late , prarticularly for a call duck.

You'd be surprised how quick;y they will absorbb their yolk sac. I had one once ina similar position which had done it herself but not completed absorbing and it was absorbed within hours.

My only hope with this littleone now would be that it doesn't kick the shell off and cause itself some damage as that could be disasterous if he was to break his umbilicial cord.

Meaan while i could suggest you put him in plastic container with a lamp, warm bowl of water and try to cover it in cling film or something to try to boostt the humitity, if thr duckling is partly out of the shell its awful for them if the membran dries around them, if you check out the incubation and hatching forum, theres a recent post about it on there, once you establishh some humdity i would warm a piece of damp kitchen roll and wrap it up under the lamp. Keep us updated!!

 

[daniellesdogs]

i did this too, as mine had been hatched 48 hours already thought it was dead but left in in broder with its sisters. the next day i couldnt tell wich one it was as all 8 running round together. ducks seem to be a lot stronger than chicks.(now 6 weeks and been in with the big ducks 4 weeks)
good luck