I know a lot of times assisted hatches tend to have weaker chicks that wouldn't have lived if was with a broody (she wouldn't assist the hatch). I have a soft heart, and want to give every chick a chance, but I know that despite my best, some chicks just won't survive. For example, I have a 5 day old chick (non assisted hatch) that doesn't seem to be doing anything except sleep and it seems smaller than the others. Today, I am trying to help it by feeding it raw egg (tried scrambled but I thought the chunks were too big still) with a drop of honey and drop of liquid vitimins. He's drank some of it and I keep checking him and sticking his beak in so he'll drink a little more. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make it, but I will know that I'm giving it every opportunity to live.Talk about assist
.Had a little guy the other day had to assist out... looked like star gazing when he was out.
Rigged up a paper bridge for him to be under so the head couldn't go up and back. A few hours later he was OK ...but then wouldn't eat...Next day all bones now I was sure he was gong to die still wouldn't take a thing from an eyedropper. or off my hand ..
That evening I held him as i thought it he dies he will feel safe anyway not alone but...good news is he started to peck food and ate a lot
Now hes walking around like a big guy.Put his brother back in to encourage eating and he is pretty happy still small..not sure how he will continue to do but do so far so good.
A WIN this time,!!
Not always
A few weeks ago had another assist...came out fine Things went well >He seemed fine healthy but died a week or 10 days later in someone elses care but I do think it was an internal problem.
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Assisted one last year
Lived and did well but was always very small
.When fall came found her dead one morning about 5 months old in a small coop with a heating lamp Must have been her heart. Never seemed sick just too small.
Had another assisted a year ago spring ...had a crippled leg and hip .couldnt fix it as the hip was mispositioned She died at about 6 months old
A second with a crippled leg that I didnt catch early enough to fix but then it got worse where she couldnt stand at all .Born last Fed. died at 3 months old
All assisted
So frankly I cringe to have an assist and they come pretty often.Maybe one every other hatch for me . Positive is I have had a lot of wins too that lived and were fine and normal
Some hatchers never assist b/c of the potential for problems cruel in a way but I see why Most do as there are some chicks that are perfect so why let them die?..
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Ill get off my soapbox now.!!
