Chick with paralyzed in feet and eyelid

[Kiki]

We didn't have a humidity meter for the entire incubation period and the thermometer was a simple mercury one. This is our first time incubating and we don't have much supplies other than the bator itself. I was surprised when they actually started hatching since the incubation quality was probably pretty poor.

You really need to calibrate that thermometer or buy a couple of new cheap ones to calibrate. Unfortunately thermometers that come with incubators are not usually correct/can not be trusted.
I know this sounds totally crazy but trust me when I tell you thermometers can be wrong.

Same so a humidity gauge...must salt test it to know just how off it is.


I'm on my way to bed right now but I'll come back in the morning and post links for you with instructions on how to do both of these things.

 

[Kiki]

Having the wrong temperature either too high or too low Can cause things like what you're seeing in this chick.

Same with the humidity.

 

[Pugerpillar]

I'm sorry.

What do you feed your adult birds? And how old are they?

The two silkie parents are young (1-2 years old) and healthy from what I can tell and other than huckleberries, corn, worms/other grubs and raspberries they don't eat anything out of the ordinary, just regular chicken feed (16% layer pellets). I think what the problem that I didn't really think about until after the chicks hatched is the fact the silkies are probably related. This most likely could be an incest problem.

 

[Pugerpillar]

You really need to calibrate that thermometer or buy a couple of new cheap ones to calibrate. Unfortunately thermometers that come with incubators are not usually correct/can not be trusted.
I know this sounds totally crazy but trust me when I tell you thermometers can be wrong.

Same so a humidity gauge...must salt test it to know just how off it is.


I'm on my way to bed right now but I'll come back in the morning and post links for you with instructions on how to do both of these things.

Ok, thank you a lot. Even if the silkie doesn't survive this is really good information to have.

 

[Kiki]

Ok, thank you a lot. Even if the silkie doesn't survive this is really good information to have.

Please read the information I posted earlier...about incubation.
There is great info there.

 

[AmyJane725]

The two silkie parents are young (1-2 years old) and healthy from what I can tell and other than huckleberries, corn, worms/other grubs and raspberries they don't eat anything out of the ordinary, just regular chicken feed (16% layer pellets). I think what the problem that I didn't really think about until after the chicks hatched is the fact the silkies are probably related. This most likely could be an incest problem.

Sorry about your little baby. Does it only have like 2 toes on the one foot? It looks malformed.

And just a tip to help keep your birds healthy: Only hens that are actively laying eggs should eat layer pellets. Chicks/Roosters/Cockerels/girls too young or old to lay eggs will all sustain kidney damage and can eventually die from excess calcium. You can feed chick starter or an all flock feed and just have a dish of oyster shells on the side for the laying girls to take as needed.