First hatchling is aggressive

[EggSighted4Life]

Breeder confirmed it looks like a birth defect - hydro cephalus. More than likely, we will have to cull (if it doesn't die soon anyhow). My 10yo will be heartbroken

So sorry.

I have hatched hundreds of chicks and never before seen this. Thank you for sharing!

Please know that "murder chick" ( funny name, not situation) is just showing standard curiosity and it isn't actual aggression at this age.

The hardest part of hatching is making the tough decisions. I would cull that chick rather than prolonging family heartache with a bird that needs constant help throughout life. Part of the lesson is not everything survives... and that's okay. Focus on the good and let it outweigh the difficult stuff. That is only the defects we can see.

Always hopeful though!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

we will have to cull (if it doesn't die soon anyhow). My 10yo will be heartbroken

Maybe your son would more understanding about Euthanasia than "culling". The end result is the same... but it indicates a different intent which is to do your best to help the chick not suffer.

 

[HollyDutton]

Maybe your son would more understanding about Euthanasia than "culling". The end result is the same... but it indicates a different intent which is to do your best to help the chick not suffer.

She understands what culling means and why it is done. We are taking some teenagers back where we got them from for their second vaccinations, and taking these new hatches in for cocci & Marek's (our entire flock has been vaccinated this way), and will bring the injured/defect/wry neck one with us. The woman we have only ever bought chicks from has said she can help us (either culling, or taking the little one in) We returned a crossbeak to her because we didn't want to have to raise a special needs chick... this one I think is in the same category. Despite not eating (and only swallowing what trickles in off a Q tip for the past 2 days), it is still sitting up and looking around, and manages to make its way out from under the heating plate. So, there's a will there, it would seem. If someone else with experience with wry neck is willing to take it on, I'm happy to give it a better chance with them.

This has been a kind of rough hatch, it feels like.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

back where we got them from for their second vaccinations, and taking these new hatches in for cocci & Marek's (our entire flock has been vaccinated this way),

Second vaccinations for teenagers?! Huh? Never heard of it before.

Are you guys vaccinating for Marek's after 2 days old?

That's nice that they are willing to help you.

 

[HollyDutton]

Second vaccinations for teenagers?! Huh? Never heard of it before.

Are you guys vaccinating for Marek's after 2 days old?

That's nice that they are willing to help you.

The new hatches are being brought in for cocci and Marek’s. The older ones are getting pox vaccinations (wing jabs).

 

[Anime2lover]

Yeah, wondering if this isn’t a “birth” defect, or maybe something went wrong towards the end of incubation. It doesn’t have shallow or labored breathing.

Definitely not a normal pecking injury. It probably does have some sort of abnormality.

 

[HollyDutton]

Definitely not a normal pecking injury. It probably does have some sort of abnormality.

Believe it or not. The lump seems to have receded quite a bit. Unfortunately, it also has wry neck (which we are treating with Vit E, but might part with it tomorrow...)

 

[Anime2lover]

Believe it or not. The lump seems to have receded quite a bit. Unfortunately, it also has wry neck (which we are treating with Vit E, but might part with it tomorrow...)

Good to know, hope it keeps getting better. As for your aggressive chick, they will sometimes pick on weaker chicks. And sometimes they are just plain aggressive.

 

[HollyDutton]

It’s 2am.

The little injured/wry neck chick woke me up from a dead sleep cheeping loudly in the brooder. Scooped her up and held her. Still cheeping. Dipped her beak in water - shook her head, quiet for a moment, started cheeping. Put some mushed up crumble in front and she pecked at it. Shook her head and cheeped away. Held her again, still cheeping. Last thought: she had been put in the brooder under the heat plate next to a fuzzy toy, but when I picked her up, she had wandered away from it. So I made a nest out of a fuzzy blanket... calmed right down.

Great, except I can’t sleep sitting on the edge of the bed with a tiny chick in a blanket slung across the bed.

Woke up my daughter who helped me fashion a little “cave” out of a fuzzy blanket in the brooder. Set her back in there and put the heat plate over top of it all. Much better.

Her wry neck seems to be improving, and I can see her growing out wing feathers. This one has fight in her (not sure if male or female, just saying “she” by default... the skull injury/deformity is where the autosex indicator is... doh!)

This is like having a newborn all over again.

I’m exhausted.

 

[rascal66]

It’s 2am.

The little injured/wry neck chick woke me up from a dead sleep cheeping loudly in the brooder. Scooped her up and held her. Still cheeping. Dipped her beak in water - shook her head, quiet for a moment, started cheeping. Put some mushed up crumble in front and she pecked at it. Shook her head and cheeped away. Held her again, still cheeping. Last thought: she had been put in the brooder under the heat plate next to a fuzzy toy, but when I picked her up, she had wandered away from it. So I made a nest out of a fuzzy blanket... calmed right down.

Great, except I can’t sleep sitting on the edge of the bed with a tiny chick in a blanket slung across the bed.

Woke up my daughter who helped me fashion a little “cave” out of a fuzzy blanket in the brooder. Set her back in there and put the heat plate over top of it all. Much better.

Her wry neck seems to be improving, and I can see her growing out wing feathers. This one has fight in her (not sure if male or female, just saying “she” by default... the skull injury/deformity is where the autosex indicator is... doh!)

This is like having a newborn all over again.

I’m exhausted.

Wow amazing it has been doing better since the hatch day. Keep giving the attention it needs and it might just make it. I would hate to hear that it passed away.. But incubating chicks sometimes comes with issues. My last hatch I had a deformed chick that couldn't stand so hub and I decided to cull. Good luck, hoping it makes it!