First time hatching problem!

[Pennyandblue]

I noticed a chick had been hatching awhile and had pipped but had stopped. I thought it hadn’t made it but I didn’t give up. After a day and a half I removed the shell and it was moving and chirping so it was alive! In this process I noticed it was stuck to the shell. None of the others got stuck so maybe it was bad humidity for just the one? I tried to not open it but I had a few I had to help. My question is pertaining the eyes of this poor baby, I think it’s blind in both eyes. How do I help it? Medicines to use? Here are pictures they are a little graphic. Thank you in advance.

 

[nchls school]

If the chick has dried off and it's possible, please take another picture; a front view of the head with the camera angled slightly down so the top of the head and beak are clearly visible. A picture of the chick's abdomen would/could also be helpful.

 

[Kiki]

I'm going to guess that he didn't hatch on his own for a reason... The reason being that something is wrong with it.


If you believe both eyes are messed up you should probably end its suffering now.

 

[nchls school]

I'm going to guess that he didn't hatch on his own for a reason... The reason being that something is wrong with it.
In our desire to hatch eggs artificially in an incubator a number of things can go wrong that would prevent a normal chick from hatching-too high or too low humidity, fluctuating temperatures, power outages, etc.

If you believe both eyes are messed up you should probably end its suffering now.

Blindness does not equal suffering. Suffering is why I asked for more pictures. A blind chick can learn to feed itself and drink on its own.

 

[Kiki]

Blindness does not equal suffering. Suffering is why I asked for more pictures. A blind chick can learn to feed itself and drink on its own.

I believe differently.

 

[Pennyandblue]

The chick is freshly hatched so he’s not dry yet. But I will post more pictures once he is. His one eye maybe okay, only time will tell. I plan to keep him until he goes naturally. Other than the hurt eye he seems to be doing well. (I don’t know his gender yet but I feel like he’s a boy) I was just looking for a way to treat it, like poultry spray or a cream (without pain meds) ,ect.

 

[nchls school]

The chick is freshly hatched so he’s not dry yet. But I will post more pictures once he is. His one eye maybe okay, only time will tell. I plan to keep him until he goes naturally. Other than the hurt eye he seems to be doing well. (I don’t know his gender yet but I feel like he’s a boy) I was just looking for a way to treat it, like poultry spray or a cream (without pain meds) ,ect.

Look at his beak closely. In the picture (and pictures can be deceiving) the beak does not look right; the bottom extending further than the top (first picture). I'm not at all certain but looks like a scissor beak. Check his feet and legs for abnormalities. The left eye merely looks closed in the picture. Is there a right eye or is it just a raw opening or is it a tumor over the eye? Wait until tomorrow when the chick is dry and moving around to look him over. You will be better able to determine the chicks defects then.

And yes, there are sprays and creams that might help. Also, for those of us that raise birds, there are times when the right thing to do is not what we want to do.

 

[Pennyandblue]

Thank you for your advice! I will definitely relook him once he’s had time to gain strength. Once he decides it his time, what’s the best way to help him go? I obviously don’t want him to suffer, I just want to give him a chance but if he can’t get better I know I’ll have to help him, I just don’t know who to go about it.

 

[nchls school]

How is the chick this morning?

 

[Pennyandblue]

I’ll take pictures later, I don’t want to keep opening the incubator. But from above he seems to be doing way better. His one eye look better, so he might just have one bad eye and he’s really fluffy now. He was cold for a while but he’s acting like a normal chick. Since he is still in the brooder I don’t know how he walks or eats yet so that will determine his quality of life.