Emergency!! Newborn Chick!!

[SterlingAcres]

I had to assist a chick getting out of it's shell. It was VERY dry. So when the next one pipped, I waited a good 12+ hours and nothing happened. I opened the air cell a little further, it too was drying up!... I covered it with a wet rag and after 4 hours (while I was in NJ) it crawled out on it's own...

My emergency is...
It's not fluffing. It's drying. Crusty and hard. It's still attached by a small clear strand to the eggs membrane. I didn't want to touch it, so I soaked it's feathers with warm water and stuck it in a box inside my brooder directly under the lamp, so it stays warm.

Here's a picture... What should I do? I've never had this happen to me before and I don't want the poor thing to die. It's chirping up a storm and trying to stand on it's own... I'm just concerned about the crusting issue and it's umbilical (?) cord?

 

[SoccerMomof7]

Oh my I hope someone gives you the help that you need. I have never hatched before but my thoughts are with you.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

What's your humidity at? You should try to get it about 75% for hatching.

It's taken my babies a day or two to get completely fluffy. With my last two ducklings that were hatched on Monday, I ended up just taking my fingers & very gently fluffing up their down...

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
It was around 78-80 since I added water to help the dried chicks out. Maybe I shouldn't have...
My problem is that this guy's crusting. Like hard shell, after you make scrambled eggs and let the cup set awhile. Like HARD. I washed him down, but will it happen again? I don't know...

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

It probably won't happen again...usually, it's the dried stuff from hatching....I've never had them re-crust after they hatched....

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
Then you need to come over here man... this little guy had a suit of armor... It was crazy! His eyes were even sealed shut!

 

[Parson's Wife]

Your humidity may be a little high, but not sure because you said dry shell....
Anyway, the chick will dry and fluff out. May not be till you put it in the brooder, but it should.

 

[M@M@2four]

Hello...had this happen a bunch of times. I would put him back in his incubator until his cord detaches. That way he stays nice and warm. Once the cord is broken, you can take care of the dry and crusty part--that's just membrane fluids dried on him. You can carefully bath him in warm water(keep his head out of the water)--the membrane fluid will get wet and start to roll off--it's kind of a brownish white color. Then you can blow dry him on low until he fluffs out and quickly transfer him to the brooder. That's what I've always done and had success! Good luck!
God bless,
Tracey

 

[SterlingAcres]

He's already washed and in the brooder... I just wanted to know if it'll happen again and what to do with the cord. He was the last egg, beside a dried chick and a dud. Stupid me, I've already shut down the incubator, I thought he'd be okay in the brooder since he was crusting in the bator.