Chick poo In incubator + Assisted chick not fluffing out.

[Maddison]

Okay, so a newly hatched chick pooped in the incubator, it fell right through the grates and directly into the water channels! I'm worried will it get bacteria all through the eggs because it will be in the humid air? would a few drops of disinfectant neutralize it? otherwise, I'd have to deep clean it which means I'd put a lot of eggs (+ one pipped) at risk! on a side note, are new chicks even supposed to poop so early on, since they're not even eating yet? also, green chick poo's are they normal this early?

so I helped another chick out of the egg because it was shrink wrapped due to me adjusting the partitions in the incubator, it got out fine but there's a large piece of membrane attached to it plus the chick is dry but not fluffed out, it gets very upset when its out of the brooder because it gets cold due to this! tips?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Green is normal but I never had one poo that early.

I PROBABLY wouldn't mess around until after the hatch is complete. But also here to learn.

Hope your hatch goes well!

 

[lazy gardener]

Poop happens. All newly born animals poop. The first poo is called meconium, and it's the debris that builds up in the intestines prior to birth. It's often very dark in color. Hatching is a messy experience. This is yet one more reason why it's not wise to do a staggered hatch.

DON'T PUT ANY ANTISEPTIC IN THE WATER WELLS.

If the goopy chick is still in the incubator, it will not harm it at all to simply leave it until the hatch is completed, as suggested by ES4L. I generally don't mess with chicks until hatch is completed. After that, then, the following paragraphs might apply:

Where is this membrane that is stuck to the chick? Is it attached to the umbilical cords? How long ago did the chick hatch? Depending on how messy this chick is, you could either dampen the membrane with a bit of water, and see if you can roll it off the down. If it's attached to the umbilical cords, then you could snip it off with a pair of sharp sterilized scissors or fingernail clippers. Don't clip too close to the chick's body, and never pull on it. Do not clip unless you can clearly see that the cord is dried up.

Occasionally, when I have a very messy chick, I will gently hold her in my cupped hands, and float her in a bowl of warm water (100*) to bathe the albumen off her. Or give her a shower under a running faucet, obviously, keeping her head dry with either method. A gentle swish followed by a drying with a very clean wash cloth or paper towels will do the job. Then, tuck her back under the MHP brooder. If I do this, I follow up with a Q-tip dipped in betadine to the umbilicus to help prevent infection of the umbilical stump. Then I tuck her back under the MHP brooder (or heat lamp if that's what you're using.)

 

[lazy gardener]

Maddison, Please see my edit to above post: paragraph 2 and 3.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Poop happens. All newly born animals poop.

Come to think of it.. I have even read about the embryo pooing inside the egg.

 

[Laodicia]

I use a wet q-tip to get the stuck membrane to loosen and slowly roll off.

Dont mess with the incubator. The poop isnt going to be a problem for the few days you need

 

[Maddison]

Poop happens. All newly born animals poop. The first poo is called meconium, and it's the debris that builds up in the intestines prior to birth. It's often very dark in color. Hatching is a messy experience. This is yet one more reason why it's not wise to do a staggered hatch.

DON'T PUT ANY ANTISEPTIC IN THE WATER WELLS.

If the goopy chick is still in the incubator, it will not harm it at all to simply leave it until the hatch is completed, as suggested by ES4L. I generally don't mess with chicks until hatch is completed. After that, then, the following paragraphs might apply:

Where is this membrane that is stuck to the chick? Is it attached to the umbilical cords? How long ago did the chick hatch? Depending on how messy this chick is, you could either dampen the membrane with a bit of water, and see if you can roll it off the down. If it's attached to the umbilical cords, then you could snip it off with a pair of sharp sterilized scissors or fingernail clippers. Don't clip too close to the chick's body, and never pull on it. Do not clip unless you can clearly see that the cord is dried up.

Occasionally, when I have a very messy chick, I will gently hold her in my cupped hands, and float her in a bowl of warm water (100*) to bathe the albumen off her. Or give her a shower under a running faucet, obviously, keeping her head dry with either method. A gentle swish followed by a drying with a very clean wash cloth or paper towels will do the job. Then, tuck her back under the MHP brooder. If I do this, I follow up with a Q-tip dipped in betadine to the umbilicus to help prevent infection of the umbilical stump. Then I tuck her back under the MHP brooder (or heat lamp if that's what you're using.)

That bit of info on the meconium is handy, it happened first hatch too and I thought I was doing something wrong! and Yep, I stored eggs this round so no staggered hatches this time! the membrane is stuck to the chicks back, its very hard on there... I figuerd I might have to give it a bath...

 

[lazy gardener]

Yep, I have no science behind this thought process, but am thinking that Meconium inside the shell may be a good sign: a sign that the chick was fully cooked (developed) before the hatch! It's also a sign that the plumbing is well developed. It can also be lethal if the chick does it too soon and then aspirates it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since it is not a staggered hatch (thank goodness), that poop is not a problem. As they said it happens all the time. Most of my hatches are over in less than 48 hours, that poop will not start stinking by then. I have had a couple of hatches that lasted over 72 hours, the incubator had started stinking by then. I got the chicks out of those hatches as soon as I could and took the incubator outside to clean it.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Green is normal but I never had one poo that early.

I PROBABLY wouldn't mess around until after the hatch is complete. But also here to learn.

Hope your hatch goes well!

I know this an old thread, but I have a question. How long after a chick hatches, will it poop?