HELP!! CHICK DYING??

[chicks2020]

Hello! I recently started trying to hatch chicks, never done before. We had about 9 eggs in our homemade incubator that worked just great, and on our 21 first day of incubating one egg hatched. A black little chick came out, and it has now been 4 days. Day 1 was a little rough as expected, he hatched a 9pm that night. He was doing just fine until a couple hours ago, his eyes are now closed and he can't stand up straight. Just last night he was running around after us. We put him back into the incubator because it's warmer in there and we haven't had the chance to get a heat lamp with this whole COVID thing. We haven't had any luck with the other chicks. He now isn't chirping anymore and when he tries to stand he kind of pushes on one leg and therefore has no balance and when I set him down in the incubator he doesn't lay on his belly. He just seems overall very weak and I think he's dying. I don't think he has been drinking or eating either. Help?

 

[Mamatomany123]

He hasnt had any heat? Chicked getting too cold can definitely kill them. Also, is he the only chick? I've always read you need to have more than 1 chicks as they dont do well by themselves.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's been staying in an incubator?

A chick needs a brooder with feed and water available. An incubator is too moist, and too hot without enough airflow.

 

[chicks2020]

He hasnt had any heat? Chicked getting too cold can definitely kill them. Also, is he the only chick? I've always read you need to have more than 1 chicks as they dont do well by themselves.

He has had heat, maybe not enough :/ We kept him in the incubator for the first two nights and let him stay in a brooder last night which is still warm. And he is the only one, maybe he needs a companion but we havent had any luck with the others hatching :/

 

[chicks2020]

It's been staying in an incubator?

A chick needs a brooder with feed and water available. An incubator is too moist, and too hot without enough airflow.

Should I move him to the brooder now? He has had feed and water available this whole time.

 

[ChickForLife]

Try putting a stuff animal in with him.

 

[ChickForLife]

Also go here and post this because that is the hatching and incubating forum.

 

[chicks2020]

My mistake, thank you!

 

[chicks2020]

My mistake, thank you!

Also go here and post this because that is the hatching and incubating forum.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Should I move him to the brooder now? He has had feed and water available this whole time.

It should be in a brooder with a heat source. Chicks need around 85-90 degrees the first week. You can add a mirror for company.