I hatched two chicks that had/have some problems. Anybody else ever experience these things and have them turn out okay? First, one chick hatched and there was a huge bulge down around his bottom as if all his innards were on the outside. It wasn't the yolk - that was hanging out there too, behind and beyond this other bulge. He just layed there overnight, and couldn't move around at all. But then today, I realized that it was sort of reabsorbing into it's body. The giant bulge got smaller and smaller and now you'd never know it had been there - except the chick is still quite weak and though it can roll and scoot around now, it can't really sit up on it's own or walk yet. I had it pegged for dead before, but it's shown so much improvement, now I'm not sure. The other problem chick pipped and zipped and then never climbed out of the shell. It would wiggle and squiggle, but seemed unable to climb out. Finally I reached in and "poured" it out. Well, then the problem became obvious. He's got one bum leg. He can move it, but he just can't get it up under himself to balance. If I help put the leg into position, he can sit up and stand there just fine, but if someone bumps him, he goes tumbling and that leg sprawls out behind him. I left both these chicks in the bator all day so that they could try to work out their issues without the interference of the others, but now I've moved them to the brooder too - I just put them into a little plastic shoebox to keep them separate from their sibs. I plan to keep working on some physical therapy with them
. They both seem like tough little fighters, so as long as they're willing to keep trying, I'm willing to help them out. Anybody have any thoughts on the likelihood they'll make it?
