One of my hens has been hatching some chicks. She's a huge hen sitting on about 17 eggs. A couple hatched yesterday but were dead when we found them More hatched overnight, and this afternoon she had 7 live ones, with the first couple that hatched running out from under her and exploring. Laying next to her was a wet but fully formed chick, ice cold, still breathing but barely.
I moved this chick under her a couple times and somehow it wouldn't stay. She'd move and it would roll out. She didn't look to be actively pushing it so I don't know, I guess it was more like the hen would scoot over a bit each time so as to not be laying on this chick.
So I brought the chick in and dried it with a blow dryer and it eventually perked up. But it can't really walk. It doesn't have splay leg, its legs are underneath its body and not sticking out to the side. It just seems weak or brain-damaged or something. It can stand flat-footed with its toes spread out if I help hold it up. It does now crawl around a little bit. It has spent time peeping and seeming distressed but it has also spent time sleeping. I've tried giving it Nutri drench with a dropper, water with a dropper, yogurt, and wet chick starter. It doesn't seem to have taken any of it, it's like the stuff just sits on its beak and it has like a little freak out seizure from the feeling of something touching its beak. It hasn't pooped this whole time. It's been with me now for about 5 hours.
Any ideas? I'm attaching some pics. As you can see it also has this issue where it looks like its face is wet. I don't know if maybe I spilled Nutri drench on the face. Do any of you recognize this? Thanks.
I moved this chick under her a couple times and somehow it wouldn't stay. She'd move and it would roll out. She didn't look to be actively pushing it so I don't know, I guess it was more like the hen would scoot over a bit each time so as to not be laying on this chick.
So I brought the chick in and dried it with a blow dryer and it eventually perked up. But it can't really walk. It doesn't have splay leg, its legs are underneath its body and not sticking out to the side. It just seems weak or brain-damaged or something. It can stand flat-footed with its toes spread out if I help hold it up. It does now crawl around a little bit. It has spent time peeping and seeming distressed but it has also spent time sleeping. I've tried giving it Nutri drench with a dropper, water with a dropper, yogurt, and wet chick starter. It doesn't seem to have taken any of it, it's like the stuff just sits on its beak and it has like a little freak out seizure from the feeling of something touching its beak. It hasn't pooped this whole time. It's been with me now for about 5 hours.
Any ideas? I'm attaching some pics. As you can see it also has this issue where it looks like its face is wet. I don't know if maybe I spilled Nutri drench on the face. Do any of you recognize this? Thanks.
