Hi,
My 5 little Welsummers all hatched over the last couple of days and went under a happy broody silkie,
BUT there was a last egg in the incubator that had pipped and zipped 3/4 of the way and then stopped, I left it for 24 hours and it was still alive, so like a fool i helped it finish yesterday around 10:00 am. Succesful operation, no blood loss, everything looks fine and fully grown, BUT massive failure to thrive.
I set her up in a little ICU inside, yesterday she would only 'sit up' and not able to stand, slept almost all the time and had a little clicking noise when breathing, breathing was difficult, and heavy but not panting
I started her on electrolytes, sugar water and the recommended no iron Poly Vi SOl vitamins, i could barely get her to let any in her beak.
Of course i was up 4 or 5 time last night, checking the temperature and offering water and vitamins...
I got laid off from work so at least I can spend the time ...
This morning she is able to walk a little bit and ate 1 tiny speck of boiled egg and has taken tiny bits of vitamins, electrolytes, water with yogurt and sugar water. She is really not interested in food or water much, only slurps up tiny amounts that I put on the side and tip of her beak with a dropper, and then turns her head and if I try more shifts her whole body away from the dropper. she wants to be held... and sleeps with little moments of peeping and moving around, a couple attempts at preening and a few little useless pecks
She snuggles with the feather duster...
THE POINT IS: I see teeny tiny increments of improvement every 5 or 6 hours, but she is so weak and so very far behind her siblings and I wonder if she will ever be OK? Am I just losing sleep and pouring all of my energy into a tiny baby that if she survives will always be unable to live with other chickens? DOES anyone have a success story for me? i am tired but the connection is endearing and I have wishes that she will be able to join Mama and siblings in the next week or so...
Thanks
My 5 little Welsummers all hatched over the last couple of days and went under a happy broody silkie,
BUT there was a last egg in the incubator that had pipped and zipped 3/4 of the way and then stopped, I left it for 24 hours and it was still alive, so like a fool i helped it finish yesterday around 10:00 am. Succesful operation, no blood loss, everything looks fine and fully grown, BUT massive failure to thrive.
I set her up in a little ICU inside, yesterday she would only 'sit up' and not able to stand, slept almost all the time and had a little clicking noise when breathing, breathing was difficult, and heavy but not panting
I started her on electrolytes, sugar water and the recommended no iron Poly Vi SOl vitamins, i could barely get her to let any in her beak.
Of course i was up 4 or 5 time last night, checking the temperature and offering water and vitamins...
I got laid off from work so at least I can spend the time ...
This morning she is able to walk a little bit and ate 1 tiny speck of boiled egg and has taken tiny bits of vitamins, electrolytes, water with yogurt and sugar water. She is really not interested in food or water much, only slurps up tiny amounts that I put on the side and tip of her beak with a dropper, and then turns her head and if I try more shifts her whole body away from the dropper. she wants to be held... and sleeps with little moments of peeping and moving around, a couple attempts at preening and a few little useless pecks
She snuggles with the feather duster...
THE POINT IS: I see teeny tiny increments of improvement every 5 or 6 hours, but she is so weak and so very far behind her siblings and I wonder if she will ever be OK? Am I just losing sleep and pouring all of my energy into a tiny baby that if she survives will always be unable to live with other chickens? DOES anyone have a success story for me? i am tired but the connection is endearing and I have wishes that she will be able to join Mama and siblings in the next week or so...
Thanks
