Does this chick look ok? Please help!

[chickeegirl]

Thanks Marty.

The 2nd one has its beak out and I only took off parts of the shell around its face. No blood, thankfully. Still had the thin membrane intact. It's now pushed some of it off and has a claw through. Used Q-tips to re-moisturize it and wrapped in a wet, warm paper towel (with opening for beak.

Here it was a little while ago. Making progress, thankfully:

The first one has started to try to walk around, but it has this stuff hanging from him. I started a new thread, with the hopes that someone could identify what it is. And then after all of his moving around, I checked him again and there was green discharge. Is that poop, by chance? I'm so clueless! I have no idea what's going on.

Here's the pic: Any idea? It won't let me put it in here now, for some reason. Is he ok? Can I do anything?

 

[Cynthia12]

The first photo looks good..it's just hanging out until it's ready. Don't assist until you hear it chirping a lot, and also see it moving a lot and can't get out on it's own.

The second picture. There is a lot of yolk left there. It will shrivel up as it dries..so will be smaller, but that is a lot left. Hurried that one along a bit too fast. Try and keep that leg forward if you can. It can still be fine and lose that extra yolk in time when it is dry, Will fall off eventually if it makes it.

 

[chickeegirl]

Cynthia,
I can't thank you enough. I've been in tears all evening worrying about the black little one. I have placed it in a little plastic tub in the incubator now, with a warm/wet washcloth on the bottom, so that it can't walk around too much and yank it off. Should I wrap it, or can it be cut at all? I was worried it may be intestines, which is what someone else said it was. What do you think? I can move its foot forward, but it keeps squirming around!

 

[chickeegirl]

Also, since it hasn't reabsorbed much of its yolk, should I try to give it sugar water, or will it be ok for another day? It pipped yesterday, during the day, and completely hatched this afternoon, but it's face was out and chirping since late last night.

 

[Cynthia12]

Don't yank it off. Just let it be, and let it dry up. Like I said, it will shrivel. Wet towels won't make it smaller now. The chick is fine, it absorbed plenty. If you don't have any electrolytes, sugar water is fine. Let me find a site that says how much to make.

Here is an idea of how much..it's a lot though. It says for shipped chicks..I think, but you can give the little one some. It really doesn't need it yet..it isn't very old, and it really did absorb more than you think. They can go three days without much. But, I do dip their beaks in the water a few hrs. after they are up and walking around.

This is from another thread........

I've never done sugar water (except for a weak chick), but if you do it's 1tsp in the small quart waterer. I would only do it for their first day, after that plain water.

I so agree with this. You could just give the baby a tiny bit of the sugar water by hand. Just put a teeny bit on your finger and give it that way, unless you have a syringe. Teensy bit! One little drop at first, then another in a couple of hrs. Then, I would only give it one more time of a tiny drop. Then, let it wake up. It may not be moving around until morning. Just give it time. Remember, a tiny bit.

 

[chickeegirl]

Oh no, I wouldn't yank it off-no worries. I was concerned that the chick would by accident in its maneuvering. Ok, so I will not give it any sugar water tonight and will just leave it for the night.

Should the washcloth I put it on be wet or dry? It seems like it won't fluff out ever if it's sitting on wet cloths. Sorry I have so many questions, but thanks for your patience and answers...I am most appreciative!

The other little one is moving around a lot more. I'm hoping he can make progress during the night and that he won't get stuck or dried out. I have a wet paper towel around it still and will leave it for the night.

After he is out, do I keep the humidity level at whatever it is at (meaning, keep the little troughs full and leave the sponge in there? I will take out the bowl of water when they are able to walk around, so they don't drown.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. Thanks again, Cynthia! You have no idea how much you've helped!

 

[Cynthia12]

Oh no, I wouldn't yank it off-no worries. I was concerned that the chick would by accident in its maneuvering. Ok, so I will not give it any sugar water tonight and will just leave it for the night.

Should the washcloth I put it on be wet or dry? It seems like it won't fluff out ever if it's sitting on wet cloths. Sorry I have so many questions, but thanks for your patience and answers...I am most appreciative!

The other little one is moving around a lot more. I'm hoping he can make progress during the night and that he won't get stuck or dried out. I have a wet paper towel around it still and will leave it for the night.

After he is out, do I keep the humidity level at whatever it is at (meaning, keep the little troughs full and leave the sponge in there? I will take out the bowl of water when they are able to walk around, so they don't drown.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. Thanks again, Cynthia! You have no idea how much you've helped!

No need for a paper towel..at least I wouldn't use it. If you have water in there, the humidity is good enough. Sorry I didn't get back sooner, I have a couple I had to assist myself tonight. We should post our pictures of our babies tomorrow. I'm hoping mine are up and at em by the time I get up. The air sacs were just too high on the side for them to be able to move around on their own. Tomorrow is the due date, but sure enough, when I opened up those saddle air sacs, they still had their heads tucked way down. Most of the blood vessels had already absorbed. If I hadn't helped them, they wouldn't be alive now. Crossing fingers they make it. At least they are peeping now. That's always a good sign. They are Favorelles. They have absorbed most of their yolk too..so, they should be ok.

Good luck with yours.
Oh, I would take the sponge out now. That is if they are the only ones in there..no more eggs pipping? The water in the wells should be enough for them. Less humidity is good for them now, they can acclimate their lungs to less humidity for when they go into the brooder.

 

[chickeegirl]

I hope yours are doing well this morning as well! This egg hatching is tricky business I'm learning! I hatched the other 10 eggs last night, as they weren't doing anything and the incubator had been opened so many times to help these two...there were 9 fully formed chicks of the 10! Sad that they didn't make it. I know the humidity was the issue for most after looking at their shells. Grr. But I'm thrilled that we have 2 who seem to be doing well. Can't wait to see how yours are!

I was so happy to wake up today to see that the sac has shrunken considerably and he is happily chirping away and starting to walk around a bit more in his little container. The 2nd one is a bit more out of its shell, but I can still see the yolk sac (now that I know what I'm looking for!), so I'm leaving him alone. He's wrapped in a wet paper towel, as the membrane was hardened. The black one likes to hang out right here, over the other one. So cute!

Here they are today: The black one is moving around well. The other one looks ok I guess? Not beautiful at the moment, but he's alive!


I took the container of water out and will remove the sponge once this little guy is out of his shell. He's getting there, but I think he'll have the sac hanging from him as well for a bit. The lighter colored one still has gunk over his head. I can clean that with a warm/wet Qtip later on today I guess. Then, hopefully they will start to fluff out.

Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[mattsinger]

Congrats! glad to see two of them made it. having only tried this once myself....there does seem to be more to it that you would think. I ended up with three fully formed that never made it out of the shell also...kinda bumms ya out....but it is what it is... I'll try again. Hope to find some local eggs instead of shipped .

 

[chickeegirl]

Thanks mattsinger! I'm still worried about keeping them alive, now that they are here, but I'm so glad two made it!

Ours are local, from a friend's farm. They have been super generous in sharing with us!