Hatchling

[LisaBell]

So one of our hatchlings had hatched about 24 hours ago but can't or won't get off its back! It gets around the incubator, lifts its head and seems to be quite lively and feisty. It's sac isn't completely absorbed yet, much more so since it first hatched, and its finely just starting to fluff. Any suggestions as to what's going on here? We are giving it water/electrolyte mixture and its drinking well. I'm speculating mushy chicken disease but not quite sure. Would love to save this little chick!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So one of our hatchlings had hatched about 24 hours ago but can't or won't get off its back! It gets around the incubator, lifts its head and seems to be quite lively and feisty. It's sac isn't completely absorbed yet, much more so since it first hatched, and its finely just starting to fluff. Any suggestions as to what's going on here? We are giving it water/electrolyte mixture and its drinking well. I'm speculating mushy chicken disease but not quite sure. Would love to save this little chick!

The yolk sac isn't absorbed? Many times chicks that end up on their back repeatedly have a problem with spraddle leg. If the yolk is unabsorbed, it could hinder things. I would confine the chick to a cup with damp paper towel on the bottom to keep it from moving too much in hopes to keep the left over yolk sac from rupturing. Are the legs directly under him or do they or one of them go out to the side a bit more?

 

[Mwewe]

It could be a neurological disorder- genetic or vitamin deficiency. I'm battling something like that now. I had a chick who literally hatched out at midnight with this— she is my 2nd chick out of the 3 I've actually been able to hatch with this.

What is the head doing? Is it all based off from the feet/legs? Or does she throw her head back, sit upright a bit, and if there's nothing there to catch her, fall over and not get up?

If it's vitamin based, you can give her 2-3 drops of Nutri-Drench poultry vitamins directly into her mouth 3 times per day. If it's genetic, you will probably need to cull her. Don't let her around the other chicks, they will rupture her yolk sac. Keep the area very clean that she's in, she can get an infection easily.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It could be a neurological disorder- genetic or vitamin deficiency. I'm battling something like that now. I had a chick who literally hatched out at midnight with this— she is my 2nd chick out of the 3 I've actually been able to hatch with this.

What is the head doing? Is it all based off from the feet/legs? Or does she throw her head back, sit upright a bit, and if there's nothing there to catch her, fall over and not get up?

If it's vitamin based, you can give her 2-3 drops of Nutri-Drench poultry vitamins directly into her mouth 3 times per day. If it's genetic, you will probably need to cull her. Don't let her around the other chicks, they will rupture her yolk sac. Keep the area very clean that she's in, she can get an infection easily.

You're talking wry neck or "star gazing" which very well could be a possibility too. There's lots of good articles on both spraddle leg and wry neck in chicks.

 

[LisaBell]

The chicks legs are spread out to the sides. She picks her head up and is alert. She was actually up and moving around for a period today, but now is back to laying on her back. We have her in the incubator still.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The chicks legs are spread out to the sides. She picks her head up and is alert. She was actually up and moving around for a period today, but now is back to laying on her back. We have her in the incubator still.

Ok, that sounds like spraddle leg which is treatable. Take a look at the chicken chicks page, she shows how to brace the legs. Usually this works very well if you get it braced early enough. I only ever had to do this once and it worked wonders: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html

How's the yolk doing absorbing?

 

[LisaBell]

The yolk sac is still there and very slowly getting smaller, but it's definitely decreased in size since she first hatched. We've been treating it with iodine a few times a day.