Broody has broken egg open and chick inside is breathing

[Ponypoor]

So this is my most recent picture of her. She was one of three remaining eggs so when I found her and put her under the heat lamp I just pulled the others out and put them there too because I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away if there was other fully formed babies maybe inside. I probably should at this stage, I have just been so focused on Hope and the others I’ve ignored them. Last thing I’d need is more special needs chicks half hatching out of them in poor conditions though. But that explains the egg in this photo.
This is her good side, the other side of her head is still not fluffy and needs a wash I think.

She looks good, if she isn't 24 hrs she is likely still absorbing/utilizing the yolk, so she should figure out drinking as she gets stronger. That is what the wee one I had did. I put a drop of water on my finger for him to wet his beak.

Just make sure your waterer is for chicks so she can't get into it and get wet or drown. But she looks pretty good though.

 

[BDutch]

Don’t wash. Let her eat her feed and drink water by herself.

Chicks should not be bothered that much. She should eat and drink by herself. Do provide the right feed (chick starter) and water. I prefer a old towel underneath to keep the bedding out.

Other important things: the right temp. Daylight when possible and artificial light during the day up to 18 hours and darkness in the night. And an old cuddly bear to feel protected.

I do hope she will get strong enough to get inter grated with the other chicks.

General advice to all.
First read about new pets you buy before getting them. And read a lot of articles if you like to let you’re hens hatch. Because if you keep chickens caged , this is not a natural setting and you need to provide the right circumstances .

 

[The WinterWolf]

good luck with little Hope!

 

[myluckychucks]

Sounds like normal behavior for a chick that age.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No bathing. Just use soft brush to fluff her. Even an old soft toothbrush can do the trick. Chicks shed the down fairly quickly, so most stuck residue will slough off in a few days.

It's good to see she's up and moving!

Sounds like a lot of chick drama going on there! Hope all goes well. Maybe once hope gets on her feet and is eating/drinking moving about, you can integrate her with the chicks you bought at the feed store.

 

[aart]

No bathing. Just use soft brush to fluff her. Even an old soft toothbrush can do the trick.

Ditto Dat!

I use a soft dry toothbrush and/or very gently use my fingertips to 'preen' the dried gunk off.

 

[Ksw15]

So Hope is 25 hours old (since breaking free of her broken shell) it’s 1am here and I just went to check on her. I placed a teddy in there for her which she seems to have taken to, but she is like, sleeping standing up so she can have her head resting on it. To watch her it’s like she falls asleep standing up every 3 seconds and then jolts awake as her head slips.
At least she is able to stand now. My other concern with her is that she CAN open her eyes but she is keeping them CLOSED all the time. If I pick her up she will open them but otherwise she keeps them closed. Is this a problem that needs to be addressed or further researched? Has anybody ever experienced this with a chick? Her fluff is slowly slowly fluffing up a little more. She is trying to preen herself but still a bit wobbly. I haven’t bathed her. I attempted a drop of her vitamin water before bed but she did the thing where she tipped her head back to swallow and then kept trying to swallow. Still don’t know if this is also something to be concerned about. Straight after I did this, I read one of the responses saying NO food or water in this first 24 hours, so I didn’t attempt again. Will try and guide her to the water and food in the morning.
So my questions are - eyes closed? And difficulty or repetitive trying to swallow. Normal/not that normal/sick?
Thank you all so much.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I attempted a drop of her vitamin water before bed but she did the thing where she tipped her head back to swallow and then kept trying to swallow. Still don’t know if this is also something to be concerned about. Straight after I did this, I read one of the responses saying NO food or water in this first 24 hours, so I didn’t attempt again.

Everyone does things differently.
Yes. A chick has absorbed yolk that they can rely on for about 3 days, but this chick is under a heat lamp and moving about.
The faster you get her drinking and eating, the better imho. As soon as mine hatch and are dry, they are in the brooder eating/drinking. That may be within just a few hours of hatch or could be up to 24 hours.

Anyway. Chicks tilting the head back to drink can be common in the first few days.
I would still get vitamins into her. Dip a qtip in the vitamin water, then press a drop onto her beak, let her take it in.

You aren't out of the woods yet, but it's hopeful.

 

[Silkie Princess]

So Hope is 25 hours old (since breaking free of her broken shell) it’s 1am here and I just went to check on her. I placed a teddy in there for her which she seems to have taken to, but she is like, sleeping standing up so she can have her head resting on it. To watch her it’s like she falls asleep standing up every 3 seconds and then jolts awake as her head slips.
At least she is able to stand now. My other concern with her is that she CAN open her eyes but she is keeping them CLOSED all the time. If I pick her up she will open them but otherwise she keeps them closed. Is this a problem that needs to be addressed or further researched? Has anybody ever experienced this with a chick? Her fluff is slowly slowly fluffing up a little more. She is trying to preen herself but still a bit wobbly. I haven’t bathed her. I attempted a drop of her vitamin water before bed but she did the thing where she tipped her head back to swallow and then kept trying to swallow. Still don’t know if this is also something to be concerned about. Straight after I did this, I read one of the responses saying NO food or water in this first 24 hours, so I didn’t attempt again. Will try and guide her to the water and food in the morning.
So my questions are - eyes closed? And difficulty or repetitive trying to swallow. Normal/not that normal/sick?
Thank you all so much.

Don't worry about the closed eyes. If it still has closed eyes after 48 hours then wipe them with a wet q-tip. I had a accidentally helped hatch (don't ask why) and the baby had closed eyes too

 

[JustBabyMargo]

What was her swallowing issue? I’ve put Hope’s beak in the water twice and she gulped some and did the thing where they tip their head back but then she kept doing that like she was either learning how to swallow, or didn’t know how to swallow, or was just trying to get more of whatever just happened. It made me nervous though. Could she not know how to swallow if she’s under developed or is this just what chicks do the first times they attempt to drink? Can any experienced Hatcher’s let me know thoughts on this please!

It seemed like my chick was just trying to keep it down. She would throw up all the time though. She couldn’t walk and had a splay-leg problem because she was so weak. Both resolved themselves with time. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but it may take her some getting used to. Keeping her hydrated is very important, and with time, mine soon realized that and was able to drink on her own without doing the weird swallow thing. Mine is now 6 months old and doing great (despite her crossbeak)! Just keep working with her, and hopefully she’ll fight to stay alive.