first batch of hen raised eggs

[jeffnsa]

yesterday i heard a little cheeping noise from under a broody hen and discovered a new chick. twenty minutes later another hatched and that was it for the night. i checked on them this morning and the first chick didn't look right so i checked her out. she had a couple of fire ants on her eye that had a little blood on it, after picking her up to remove the ants i noticed she had something hanging out her butt. i got her to drink a little water and is under a lamp for now but is moving very little. is there anything i can do for it?

 

[mstricer]

Not really. Just make sure it is drinking. I would give it some gatorade. What was hanging from its tush.

 

[jeffnsa]

i don't know. it could be its insides sticking out a little.

 

[mstricer]

That won't be good, how is it doing now. If it is it's insides it probably won't get any better and you will have to cull it.

Sorry

 

[Judy]

Are you sure it's not the umbilical cord? (or whatever the correct term in chickens is.) It may dry up and fall off.

One of the few things I like DE for is fighting ants in coops and nests. Nothing is really 100% safe, especially for chicks, but fire ants have killed chicks here.

 

[mstricer]

I like DE for the coop also.

 

[jeffnsa]

Up date time. what ever was hanging out of the chick has dried up and is starting to heal. his eye which was attacked by fire ants has finally opened and now he runs around in his box. my wife checked on the other chicks and picked one up to see if it is male or female, the momma got mad and started smashing her beak into an egg she was sitting on. the next day the chick she touched was missing some skin of her head and back (wife also touched first chick that had something hanging out of him before he got damaged) and the damaged egg was pushed about five feet away from nest. i started to clean the egg shells from around momma when i saw another egg with legs sticking out of it and removed it(legs were stiff and cold) and the damaged egg when i heard a peep from inside damaged egg. i took it inside and removed some of the membrane (it was shrinkwraping) and let it get out on its own. 3 birds inside,4 outside, and 3 more eggs under momma.

i have come to the conclusion to never touch the chicks or the momma chicken hates my wife.