Bas Situation With Chick :(

[BekkiH]

"Lucky" hatched the morning of April 27, along with four other chicks. Once they were all dry and fluffy, I moved them into the brooder in the basement.

All the chicks are doing fine, but Lucky now has a spraddle leg. I took him out, and tried the Bandaid trick, which worked pretty well. But as soon as I put him back in the brooder with the other chicks, they all started piling on top of him and squishing him. All I heard were frantic peeps, so I took him out.

The whole process of getting his leg wrapped up took at least an hour, between reading up on what to do, finding bandaids, and taking three tries to finally get one on right. So I'm sure that he was already exhausted. I held him close to my body for warmth most of the time, and he seemed pretty content, so I don't think he froze or anything.

My husband ran to the store to buy a heat lamp so that I could turn our old rabbit cage into a brooder, so he has someplace safe to be. By the time he was finally settled in, it had been a two-hour ordeal. He drank a little water out of a spoon, and ate a little mashed hardboiled egg, so at least he's getting a little something.

Once I put him in the new brooder, he wobbled around, then just collapsed on his side. He's just laying there with his eyes closed, but breathing. I'm assuming that he's sleeping. He's probably exhausted after this whole ordeal, and needs some rest.

Of course, I'm concerned. I forgot to ask hubby to get a thermometer, so I don't know if he's laying down because the brooder is too warm (it doesn't feel that way, though) or again - exhaustion. With his legs being taped up, it won't be as easy for him to move if he needs to find a cooler or warmer spot.

I have moved him into the incubator, which is now clean and dry. I have the Brisnea Mini Advance. I just didn't put any water in, so it's not humid or anything. At least he can be in a perfectly temperature controlled environment while he rests up.

Is there anything else I should do?

ETA - He seems to be doing slightly better now. I took him out and gave him a little drink. Now he's sleeping in the incubator upright, no longer on his side. At least now he doesn't look dead. =\

 

[cestial225]

Hey Bekki How is the little guy doing now? So how was your first hatch? 5 out of 7?

 

[BekkiH]

Hey Bekki How is the little guy doing now? So how was your first hatch? 5 out of 7?

Hi Celeste!!!

He's doing OK, I think. He definitely ate some, and can make his way to the water dish on his own. He doesn't hop around very much, just stays in one place and cries.

I had to leave for a while, and came home to find that he had managed to get himself stuck in the side of the cage. Poor thing was screaming and crying - good thing I locked the cats in the basement when I left!

I tried putting him back with the other chicks to see how he would do. They all jumped him and started pecking. Mainly at his legs. I don't know if they were going after the Bandaid, or really trying to hurt him. So he's back upstairs now.