Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

I haven't tried it. I have heard others talk about it but honestly I don't know what it is lol.
Yes her bottom was bulging so I soaked her in warm water. When she pushed to go potty I could see a huge piece of hard poop trying to come out. I kept soaking her and massaging her bottom but it didn't seem to be doing anything. That's when I called the vet. I could feel the poop under her skin so I knew how big it was. The lady at the vet was really rude when I told her and basically was like we can't do anything about it. I had started to give up. My daughter was holding her under the light so she wouldn't catch a chill and came running out saying she pooped lol. I've never been so excited about chicken poop before lol
We are going to keep chugging along as long as we can. Since she pooped we are going to try it again. Thanks for the encouragement. I definitely needed it.

ACV is apple cider vinegar, but you want "natural" or "unpasteurized".

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Probiotics may help her if her digestive system is sluggish.  Or it may be a one time thing.  She must feel so much better now.  Hope it's smooth sailing from here on out.

She has been on the save a chick probiotics. Now that I know I will be checking her quite often. She is going to hate me lol

ACV is apple cider vinegar, but you want "natural" or "unpasteurized".

Ok thanks. I think I actually have some. I'm not sure if it's natural though I'll have to check. How much do I put in the water? How does it work?

 

[RubyNala97]

She has been on the save a chick probiotics. Now that I know I will be checking her quite often. She is going to hate me lol
Ok thanks. I think I actually have some. I'm not sure if it's natural though I'll have to check. How much do I put in the water? How does it work?

One more thing that I just thought about, (I brood lots of silkie chicks) do you have a thermometer in the brooder? My last few batches that were done this spring and summer did really well with lower heat. I'm talking like were totally off of heat by one week (it's around 80 in the house) and they were fine. They thrived really well. I would try reducing your heat a bit. Trust me if they are cold they let you know. If she continues to eat, drink, peck around and sleep then she's not cold. All of mine are done with heat usually by 3 weeks but these last few were by 1 week old. The heat might be keeping her on the dehydrated side. Just a thought!

 

[WVduckchick]

One more thing that I just thought about, (I brood lots of silkie chicks) do you have a thermometer in the brooder? My last few batches that were done this spring and summer did really well with lower heat. I'm talking like were totally off of heat by one week (it's around 80 in the house) and they were fine. They thrived really well. I would try reducing your heat a bit. Trust me if they are cold they let you know. If she continues to eat, drink, peck around and sleep then she's not cold. All of mine are done with heat usually by 3 weeks but these last few were by 1 week old. The heat might be keeping her on the dehydrated side. Just a thought!

x2! I took the brooder plate out of my brooder with those last lavs after the first week. They were fine. I even moved them outside last night, for their first night. I rarely keep them inside for 3 weeks like I did these, but I didn't have room outside! lol I

 

[WVduckchick]

So I had an odd eggtopsy that I thought I would share. It is one of the lavender orpington eggs that my girl was sitting on that I could tell was DIS. It was still moving on day 18, but by the time the other 2 hatched, I could tell this one had quit. I opened it to find an undeveloped skull and a hole in its spine. The top beak was shorter than the bottom. The abdomen was totally swollen, but yolk was 99% absorbed. Very strange, but I'm glad this chick didn't make it! I've hatched dozens of these babies with none of these issues!

Warning - Eggtopsy photos below.

Looks fairly normal late death from this angle, but the dark blob below the chick seemed to be a dried blood mass (not attached to the chick, although the pic kinda looks like it)


Sat the chick up, that's the top of its head, between my fingers!


See the beak? Shorter on top than the bottom, and may have been crossed.


This is a view from the back. Head on top (I guess that's the brain, no skull!), the bare spot in the center is its spine.

 

[BantyChooks]

Yech.... So sorry, WV! But thankfully you didn't have to cull it.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks. I have a couple theories on "why" it happened, but I'm still doing some research.

If anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

So I had an odd eggtopsy that I thought I would share. It is one of the lavender orpington eggs that my girl was sitting on that I could tell was DIS. It was still moving on day 18, but by the time the other 2 hatched, I could tell this one had quit. I opened it to find an undeveloped skull and a hole in its spine. The top beak was shorter than the bottom. The abdomen was totally swollen, but yolk was 99% absorbed. Very strange, but I'm glad this chick didn't make it! I've hatched dozens of these babies with none of these issues!

Were those shipped eggs? I recently had two hatches that both had deformed chicks. The first was DIS and when I opened it I thought perhaps I had messed up opening it up and caved in one side of the beak. Flipped its head and it was identical on the other. So strange. The next hatch I had two that had completely deforemed heads caved in to the shape of the wing, eyeball must have been inside brain that's how caved in it was. Beak lengths were mismatched and crossed, one couldn't even pull its tongue in but it was chirping and they seemed normal in energy and everything. I knew even if I felt sorry fo them they would never make it since they couldn't eat or drink so that was my first time culling and I really regretted assisting them, but I guess maybe it was better that I kill them quick then have them die slowly in the shell. Anyways these were not shipped but they were of unknown age as they came from a very large clutch of hidden eggs that I found. So perhaps the age of the eggs was the cause. Everyone else hatched fine and normal. What is your theory on yours?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So I had an odd eggtopsy that I thought I would share. It is one of the lavender orpington eggs that my girl was sitting on that I could tell was DIS. It was still moving on day 18, but by the time the other 2 hatched, I could tell this one had quit. I opened it to find an undeveloped skull and a hole in its spine. The top beak was shorter than the bottom. The abdomen was totally swollen, but yolk was 99% absorbed. Very strange, but I'm glad this chick didn't make it! I've hatched dozens of these babies with none of these issues! Warning - Eggtopsy photos below.

Spoiler: Warning: Eggtopsy photos

Looks fairly normal late death from this angle, but the dark blob below the chick seemed to be a dried blood mass (not attached to the chick, although the pic kinda looks like it) Sat the chick up, that's the top of its head, between my fingers! See the beak? Shorter on top than the bottom, and may have been crossed. This is a view from the back. Head on top (I guess that's the brain, no skull!), the bare spot in the center is its spine.

Good thing it didn't hatch. Poor thing. Interesting, thanks.

Were those shipped eggs? I recently had two hatches that both had deformed chicks. The first was DIS and when I opened it I thought perhaps I had messed up opening it up and caved in one side of the beak. Flipped its head and it was identical on the other. So strange. The next hatch I had two that had completely deforemed heads caved in to the shape of the wing, eyeball must have been inside brain that's how caved in it was. Beak lengths were mismatched and crossed, one couldn't even pull its tongue in but it was chirping and they seemed normal in energy and everything. I knew even if I felt sorry fo them they would never make it since they couldn't eat or drink so that was my first time culling and I really regretted assisting them, but I guess maybe it was better that I kill them quick then have them die slowly in the shell. Anyways these were not shipped but they were of unknown age as they came from a very large clutch of hidden eggs that I found. So perhaps the age of the eggs was the cause. Everyone else hatched fine and normal. What is your theory on yours?

That's sad. Age of eggs could definite play a big role I it. I would think the environmental conditions, maybe warm enough to cause sporadic inconsistent growth could have played a factor as well.

 

[casportpony]

She pooped!! I put her in a separate box with just water and save a chick electrolytes. I'm so scared I'm actually shaking thinking I was going to have to put her down. I'm going to go do some research to see how to prevent this from reoccurring. God is good!! What a miracle!!

I think i'd still take her to the vet and have them teach you how to give subcutaneous fluids and how to tube feed. Unless there is a defect in her digestive tract, fluids will help when they get constipated. Are you using shavings for bedding?

-Kathy