1st hatching with broody chicken

[Tiger1979]

Please help, I intervened with one of the hatchlings because I was worried as it was over 24 hours in egg but now regretting that I intervened because think I may of made things worse, lesson learnt. The chick is still alive after 10 hours later and I’m not sure if it will live, the last I seen it today the chick done a green poop not sure how concerning that is. It’s walking slightly but cannot lift its head and opens its eyes rarely and has a red sac stuck to it bottom. What do you think the chances are of the chick living? And is the green poop a bad thing?

 

[wleigh1021]

it sounds as if it didnt finish absorbing the yolk which would make sense if you helped it hatch. I think at this point it won't heal. I tried to help chicks last year and they just went down hill and I wasted 48 hrs of my time and it was hard to watch them suffer. personally i think it's kinder to put them down if they don't show any signs of improvement after 24 hours. That's just my opinion though, do what you feel is right.

 

[Tiger1979]

it sounds as if it didnt finish absorbing the yolk which would make sense if you helped it hatch. I think at this point it won't heal. I tried to help chicks last year and they just went down hill and I wasted 48 hrs of my time and it was hard to watch them suffer. personally i think it's kinder to put them down if they don't show any signs of improvement after 24 hours. That's just my opinion though, do what you feel is right.

Thanks for your info and your advise, I really appreciate it. I had a look this morning and to my surprise chick is now walking, has head lifted and eyes open. Seeing there is lots of improvement I have hope it will live, time will tell.

 

[wleigh1021]

great! fingers crossed!

 

[Tiger1979]

great! fingers crossed!

Thanks but it seems you were correct it went down hill when I got home in the afternoon, so sadly I decided to put it down.

 

[wleigh1021]

Sorry to hear that! I had a similar problem last year. I had a chick that pipped externally and I didn't want to open the incubator and it died in the shell. Then I had 2 more that looked stuck as well so I decided to help them. One did ok but one did not; had the same issue with the yolk not absorbed. I tried to help it but it didn't go well. So now I know, even if its hard try not to help them out of their shells. Or at least wait until everyone else is out and give them about 12 hours. If you ever get one with a yolk absorbed but the belly button open I found that liquid bandage works well for that.