Chick neck bent backwards ..my first hatch

[MandiB]

This is my second time incubating...all shipped eggs and the first 14 didn't make it. 2 of this hatch made it (I cried when my husband called me!).

The first chick has something wrong, I think, and I don't know what it is, which makes doing a search very hard.

Basically it's neck is bent back, so it always looks like it's looking up. It has a hard time getting around the incubator because of this. The other chick is fine. I was gone when this first one appeared so I don't know how it looked the moment it came out.

The chick hatched about noon today so it's less than 12 hours old right now. Can someone please tell me what is wrong and how I might help? I have 12 others in the incubator and I'm not sure how many will hatch given my dismal failure of the last batch (these are Tolbunt Polish..all mail ordered) and I am desperate to save them.

I'm attaching a pic so you can see the little thing's head tipped back

 

[brotchicks]

hi, I don't know that much about chicks, but is it bending its head backwards when it's head isn't hanging off of the black rim? My thought is maybe that is it. I know you aren't supposed to open the incubator but you may want to change the position of the head. Or it is just very tired and is relaxing.

 

[song of joy]

Sounds like it might be "star gazing". See attached thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/904189/stargazing-or-something-else