Found half hatched chick..he is alive..what to do?

[minigoat]

My hen came off her nest this morning,she has eight chicks.In the nest were two unhatched eggs and two that had started to hatch.I assumed the two were dead and set them aside.I came back a couple of hours later to dispose of them and a leg moved. I stupidly tore off the shell.I know that was wrong to do,but was not thinking straight.I now have the chick in my gas oven,over the pilot light(oven off).He is moving(kind of flailing) and peeping a little,but does not seem able to stand.Is there any hope for him? I just do not want him to suffer.Please let me know anything I can do for him.Thanks!!

 

[jnkir7]

yes just keep him warm and let him rest it wll take him time to get the strength to stand.

 

[minigoat]

Thanks so much.He is pretty much laying and sleeping,when I take him out to check him he perks up,but still can't stand.Is there a point when I should try feeding him or giving him fluids? If he was a furred baby ,I would know what to do,but have never done this with a baby chick!

 

[NottinghamChicks]

They do not need food or water for two to three days. They absorb the yolk sack and time is what he needs now. Hatching is very tiring and he needs to rest. He should be up within a few hours. Good luck!

Oh and welcome to BYC

 

[CatDaddyAlbert]

One of the problems with helping the chick out of the egg is that the chick gets it's standing and walking strength from using the legs to break out of the shell.

I have never had luck helping one out so I no longer do it, but you might have better luck.

 

[Mallisa]

Actually helped 4 abandoned babes out of the egg a couple of months ago(still alive and thriving 2 are silkies) One of them was curled and not standing for several hours. The next morn. was up and peeping loudly. You have to be careful when helping and should start at the head and go very slowly. Sometimes takes hours so they won't bleed too much from the shell and so the can pull the yolk up. Now that the babe is here should be kept at about 95-100 degrees for a few days under a light. Try to make the box large enough that it can move over to a cooler spot if it gets too hot. Good luck!

 

[minigoat]

Thanks again.He is doing a little better.I moved him from the oven to my bedroom on a heating pad.He can move a little,seems to want to be under the fuzzy sock I put with him.He does lift his head.I am watching the temperature very carefully as I am not sure he would(could) move if he was too warm.I do have it so he can get to a cooler spot.I pretty much had to help him out of the shell,he had his legs out,head and body were stuck.I was amazed he was alive and wish I had checked him more closely when I first found him.I feel so lucky to have the support here.

 

[Mallisa]

Just make sure there is something between him and the pad. Like a towel or something so he doesn't burn himself.

 

[liz allen]

i helped one out a couple of weeks ago , it took several hours to stand properly, kept falling over onto its back and i had to help it up for a day or so, read on net to dip beak in sugar water don't know if it helped or not but did perk up and is still going strong along with its hatch mates.

good luck

 

[minigoat]

He is holding his own.I do have soft cloth between him and the pad and a while ago he had moved off to a cooler spot.I will try some sugar water.When I check him, he peeps softly and moves around.He can't stand,is a little spraddle legged,kind of falls forward.He does hold his head up when he is just sitting.I am trying to let him rest as much as possible,but worry about him getting too hot or too cold.Tomorrow I will fix him a bigger box and have a light for him.Thanks so much!!!