Newly hatched chick problem - need advice

[Jayson_Black]

So we've had 4/4 eggs successfully hatch. The very last one seemed to have a lot of difficultymaking the final steps in hatching. It pipped about 36 hours ago, it unzipped extremely slowly over night, the took a very long time to push with its leggs the eggs apart.

Just moments ago it broke free of the shell, but it can not stand or get around the way the others did. This one is having "Fits" if you will. Its like it is break dancing. A Move called the Helicopter. Hang on. Ill get some video.

My question is, or rather, will be: "Whats up with this chick and will it be ok?"

 

[pittmanbirds]

Im no expert but ive had some chicks come acting crazy ( or acting dead) and they were fine. Congrats on the hatch!

 

[bobbi-j]

Give it time, it just hatched. That's awfully hard work. I would say that it's weaker than the other ones, which is why it took longer to hatch, and why it's struggling now. Sometimes it just takes them a bit more to get their legs under them.

 

[Jayson_Black]

LOL. yeh, you guys are right. we're just first-time Hatchers and are probably overly worried.

This last chick does seem a little small, a little weak. but it has settled down now.

I think it may have sustained a small injury near its belly button and this may have been causing it some pain, and it was reacting to the pain.

It also took a very long time to unzip and hatch, so perhaps it was in "Fight Mode" and was still in that mode for several minutes after hatching. By the time I got the camera ready it had settled down and was no longer break dancing.

I'm uploading a small video of the chick now. The Video doesn't show much but is very cute lol.

 

[pittmanbirds]

Lol that's good to hear

 

[oregonkat]

A chick I hatched out last year took a while to break loose and was 'breakdancing' too. It had splayed legs which I guess happens when the chick takes too long to get out. There are lots of pieces of information on BYC about what to do if that is what is happening to your chick. It is fixable but it is kind of tricky. You have to basically tie its legs together underneath the chick so the legs straighten up. Good luck and congrats on your hatch. Tis the season

 

[Jayson_Black]

Thanks for your Comments People. Here is a short video of the chick in question. Although it did not breakdance in front of the camera. It apears to have stopped.
Little Cutie though!

 

[Jayson_Black]

Ah ok, OreganKat. I honestly don't know much about splayed legs. the little I thought I knew said that it happened after they hatch from slip[ping around in the incubator or brooder. I have no idea it occurred before hatching. It still doesn't walk very well. as if it was walking on its heels (or elbows). Its not raising its self up, but rather dragging its bum along. the other are not doing this.

I'll be uploading a video later of all four of them together in the brooder. You should be able to see the differences in walking. There's approx 24 hours difference in age from the first chick till the last.

 

[oregonkat]

Absolutely right about the slippery surface in the incubator, they just cant get their legs under themselves. Your little one hopefully will build up enough strength to move about, sometimes folks put the baby in a small cup with a paper towel in the bottom to force the chick to stand straight up and the sides of the cup prevent the chick from falling over. I have done this also and it works fine. Usually within a day the chick is upright. Good luck with the little cutie.

 

[Jayson_Black]

OregonKat that's some great advice. Its really coming good now. Observed it eating and drinking, so we are safe there. It can get around, almost as quick as the others. However, I dare say there is still some issue (luckily, its pretty mild) with its leg(s). I say this because sometimes it likes to stretch its legs. One at a time. When th3 others do this they are a little wobbly on the one leg they are standing on. To be expected, sure! but the little "runt" if you like, just collapses. It's like this one leg does not have the strength to balance the chick while it is stretching the other leg. So after it collapses, it lays on its side to stretch the leg. It also sleeps on its side with this one leg stretched way out behind it.

You cant physically see anything wrong. Everything looks in its place and in the correct proportions. But this chick seems to have an issue with one leg.

It will be ok with us. Even if it was in worse condition. we treat our pets really good. We make careful, thoughtful and regular observations. Carefully monitoring their health and progress. Their health is never taken for granted. they are always given any extra help when needed. We once purchased 4 x 1-day old chicks about 7 years ago. One of them could not walk forwards at all. it could only walk backwards. It took the chick several weeks before it could walk forwards. When it did walk it walk as if it had broken glass or thorns under its feet. as if it were in pain.

When she grew up, her toes were curved inwards, and she had these big lumps around her ankle area. a bit like when a human gets a Corn on their foot. Well her name was "Angel" and she outlived her clutch mates. (Sisters). She was also top Chook. She was at the top of the pecking order. She always got to eat first. the other girls would almost bow to her, and get out of her way. She would be very bossy with them, but they would do what she wanted. they totally respected her. Even though if they had a fight, she would have had no chance of winning. The others didn't know that, and she played it to her advantage. Then one day, she turned up on our front porch, she stayed there for two nights (she would normally sleep in the Chicken house). on the morning after the second night, I found her dead. I think she was trying to say goodbye, or at least trying to tell us something was wrong and that she need help. She lasted 6 years. I know to some it sounds a bit odd, but she was one of the best pets we ever had. Some chickens are quite dumb, and you never connect with them. Others seem to be extremely clever, and sometimes you can connect with them. Angel was very clever, and she never let her disability get in the way. She earned so much respect from us and totally stole our hearts.

I'm a bit teary while typing this. My wife just left the room, quite upset. She had a profound effect on us, Angel.

Anyway, my point is that I think this chick will be ok. If we can manage Angel, we can Manage Two-Four. (Two-Four is tempory name). but it would be really great if we can identify what her trouble is, so that we can better manage and assist her.

This is a gret community! Definaley one of the better forums around.