EMERGENCY!!! -- CHICK HATCH

[ReseisCL16]

so crazy story, my hen tried to hatch 4 eggs. Successfully hatched 1. She left the nest for good 3 days later and so I put her other eggs aside. One of those eggs just hatched about 24 hours after I removed the eggs and I found the chick still wet and on its back. I'm currently holding the chick close to a heat lamp to warm it up. Legs and toes seem fine. Navel closed correctly. But chick is panting and gasping a little and seems too weak to stand or raise its head. It is peeping and squirming tho. I don't want to chill it, but I really want this little guy to make it. What should I do to give him the best chance? And what should he be acting like?

 

[Rachnicko]

Wow that’s amazing!
I’m not an expert, especially not on hatching, but my thoughts are to keep it warm and let it dry out as you are doing, and see how it gets on. My understanding is when they first hatch, they should have enough nutrients from the egg for the first day or more, so don’t worry about it eating or drinking straight away. We recently had 2 eggs hatch, and the chicks are unsteady for a little while til they dry and get their bearings.
I guess the main concern is the panting/gasping.
Is the heat lamp the correct type? I have read that some give off toxic gases if they are coated - so maybe check that? See if it is still doing it after a short while and report back?

 

[ReseisCL16]

So I figured it might be a little hot and moved it away from the light. It's trying really hard to stand, but keeps falling over backwards. Heat lamp wise, this particular hen actually rejected a few adopted chicks, and they are the ones under this light. They seem vigorous and happy, no panting. Am I looking at a respiratory problem or something?

 

[Rachnicko]

Is it still panting now you moved it away from the light? If it hasn’t been ‘warmed’ for a day or so in the egg, then maybe a bit less heat would be better... or gradually raising the temperature?

 

[Rachnicko]

I’m sorry I really don’t know on the respiratory issue front - I’m hoping someone more experienced can chime in...?

 

[ReseisCL16]

Still panting, but lots of wobbles and sqeaks, so that's good news. I've never hatched chicks before, so I'm a little frazzled!

 

[Rachnicko]

That sounds good news to me with the chirps... except the pants.
When they grow up, they do pant when they get warm. I can only think that it might just not be used to being too warm with not being incubated for a day or so.
If it’s anything more than that, I wouldn’t know what to tell you unfortunately.
@sumi can you help?

 

[ReseisCL16]

It's beginning to look a little better. Panting has stopped for the most part (it was too hot ) and it's completely dried it's feathers. The last remaining problem seems to be that it can't stand, even tho it's trying really, really hard. Probably just weak and small? (Pretty sure this little guy is a Rosecomb / Dutch Bantam cross, so it's tiny.) It's going to spend the night in the house so that I can keep an eye on it. Besides that, it seems to be a healthy little bird. Any tips to get it standing faster?