Need advise...Newly hatched chick issue*UPDATE*

[jbowyer01]

I searched all over this site for advise before I posted but I'm lost on what to do. I set my eggs on Feb. 22. I had my incubator up and running for a week and it held the humidity and the temp almost perfectly the whole time, but a few days after I set my eggs things went wacky. I had a horrible time keeping the temp and the humidity at a consistant level but it never strayed more than 100.1 in temp. Well hatch day comes and three pips out of 8 eggs. Two of the chicks zipped and were out doing great in no time but this third little one had a really rough time. I waited over 48 hours after it pipped to help it. I only helped because his peeping was lessening and I could see his little beak moving. The membrane in the egg was extremly leathery. Well now its been since about 7:30 this morning and its still unable to stand and had a really thick hard feeling to its feathers. I had to take him out of the incubator because he got caught under the egg carton. I've rinsed him off a little with a very warm wash cloth to help get the sticky stuff off and he's really peeping up a storm but he is falling all over the place. He still looks like he just hatched, while the other two are fluffy and just as happy as can be. Do I just leave the little one in the bator to stay warm and hope he can get his footing? Anything else I can do or do I just let mother nature do her thing? (This is my third hatch, god all the others were so easy! I think I'm going back to buying chicks

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UPDATE:
Well little Miracle is still making it. I seperated her (hopefully a her lol) from the others and had a little brace on her foot for a couple of days. Last night I took the brace oof and put her in with the others she is walking much better. I do believe she has spraddle leg becasue she falls back on her little bum almost like shes sitting down all the tim with her little legs out in front of her so I will be trying to correect that now. She is so tiny compared to the others! She's a fighter though and will toddle over to the big chicks and give them a good peck, ecspecially if they get near the little bear (did that for comfort lol) that she was in the brooder with. Shes eating and doing her little best to make it so I will give her every chance I can. Thank you all for the info it was extremley helpful!

 

[chickaddict]

I just received 15 in the mail today. Lost one on the trip and lost one a half hour ago. The one I lost this afternoon was behaving exactly as you described.

I tried sugared water and also electrolytes but she just wasn't to be. Some are just borm weaker then others and can't make it.

Sorry - I hope yours makes it.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

Sounds like you did what I would do. Give her sugar water or electrolite to make sure she is hydrated. Keep her warm. She may turn out to be your strongest one after having such a difficult start! Best of luck with your little ones!

 

[jbowyer01]

Thank you. I will try to give a little sugar water and I'll keep the little one in the bator. Hopefully her/his little legs will start to work better. Should I keep the humidity going or just the heat in the bator? She is peeping much stronger than earlier so she seems to be a fighter.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have had that happen before; kinda like walkin' on it's hocks. It may take a day or two before the chick is steady on his feet. Mine have always turned out ok, just took an extra day or so.

Yes, I did leave mine in the bator after all the others were removed. I only did so because I didn't want the others picking on him. I also made sure there was adequate oxygen inside. I propped the side with a pencil, so there was a 1/4 inch opening. 24 - 48 hours made a world of difference for mine.

I wish you good luck, as well.

 

[jbowyer01]

Quote:
Exactly! Thats whats happening almost like its little feet are curled under. I shut off the fan but have the light on for heat and I placed a pencil under the lid to prop it up about 1/4 of an inch. I keep giving a little sugar water but tommorow I'll place a little chick feed on the papertowels for it to peck at and maybe a little bowl with (marbles in it to prevent any drownding, I read that tip somewhere here on BYC) and water. If its feet do not improve I read somewhere else on BYC about someone making a little splint for its feet to help straight the feet out. I cant thank you guys enough!

 

[kid-n-chickens]

I seen a pic on here somewhere, where a lady cut the ends off of bandaids and put one part on the bottom and one part on the top to tape them flat basically. I think she just called it curled toes. but did say that chick was doing better 2 days later

 

[peeppeeppeep]

I had two hatch like that on one of my hatches and they never really got better. After a couple of days I euthanized them because the others were picking on them and they did not seem to be improving. Some people have recommended leg braces &c but these did not work for me. It was really hard to have to do but I thought it was best and still do. After all, a lot of chicks never make it to hatch for different reasons...just nature at work.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

Good morning. Checking in to see how your little chick is doing. I've not done it myself but I've seen the leg brace thing done. If I were you, I'd post this problem in the medical emergency section of the forum. You should be able to get help on exactly how to do this if you are up to it. Good luck.

 

[abanjaf]

Out of my last hatch, I had one little tiny chick hatch late on the 24th day. He/she walked on his/her hocks for the first 2 days. Will be 3 weeks old this weekend and runs around with everyone else. Don't give up!