Help! Chick seems to be stuck in membrane?

[Mountain Roost]

But it still has closed eyes

I have had the closed eye problem before. I used warm water and a Q-tip swab and gently wipe the warm water on the eyes to clean off the sticky stuff from hatching. You must get the eyes to open before you put it in the brooder with other chicks. Eyes closed = can't find the water dish and will die.

In the past I have had to do the swab cleaning and they would open. I go back and check and then they are closed again. Swab again until open and then keep checking because they sleep a lot and the eyes get stuck again. Warm water and if the procedure is taking a while, work with the chick on on towel on a heating pad.

I just read back in the thread...definitly don't keep opening the incubator if you have others hatching. You can do the eye cleaning before brooding but after hatching.

 

[Silkie Princess]

I have had the closed eye problem before. I used warm water and a Q-tip swab and gently wipe the warm water on the eyes to clean off the sticky stuff from hatching. You must get the eyes to open before you put it in the brooder with other chicks. Eyes closed = can't find the water dish and will die.

In the past I have had to do the swab cleaning and they would open. I go back and check and then they are closed again. Swab again until open and then keep checking because they sleep a lot and the eyes get stuck again. Warm water and if the procedure is taking a while, work with the chick on on towel on a heating pad.

I just read back in the thread...definitly don't keep opening the incubator if you have others hatching. You can do the eye cleaning before brooding but after hatching.

It is in the brooder. Alone because at the moment she is an only chick. The chick can open it's eyes but it only does it sometimes

 

[Mountain Roost]

It is in the brooder. Alone because at the moment she is an only chick. The chick can open it's eyes but it only does it sometimes

I would do a cleaning on the eyes. Just when you think they are good you will wake up to heartache. A little warm water doesn't hurt. And from your pictures I can see that the feathers are matted around the eye and that could be making the whole area stiff.

 

[Silkie Princess]

I would do a cleaning on the eyes. Just when you think they are good you will wake up to heartache. A little warm water doesn't hurt.

Okay I will. Thought I did try that earlier today

 

[Mountain Roost]

Okay I will. Thought I did try that earlier today

That sticky, now hardened, stuff is very difficult to get cleaned off. It could take many times.

 

[Lizzy733]

It does break down with water though, repetition and patience will lead to a happy chick that can see. Make sure the vent is also clear and unobstructed - a chick that can't poop will die. If the feathers around the vent are still gluey after clearing the vent, you may need to do another wash in a day or two. In the meantime, make sure poo doesn't get caked to the point of blocking the vent at any point.

I had one with a really sticky bum this hatch. Took a few washes to get them properly fluffed up back there.

 

[NatJ]

The chick can open it's eyes but it only does it sometimes

If the chick closes its eyes to sleep and opens its eyes to walk around and do things, then it is fine. It is normal for very young chicks to sleep a lot, and to drop off to sleep very suddenly. They are active and doing something, then they start closing their eyes and wobbling, then they are flopped down sleeping: perfectly normal.

If it seems to be awake and wants to be active but still has closed eyes, I would follow the advice about eye cleaning.

 

[Silkie Princess]

It does break down with water though, repetition and patience will lead to a happy chick that can see. Make sure the vent is also clear and unobstructed - a chick that can't poop will die. If the feathers around the vent are still gluey after clearing the vent, you may need to do another wash in a day or two. In the meantime, make sure poo doesn't get caked to the point of blocking the vent at any point.

I had one with a really sticky bum this hatch. Took a few washes to get them properly fluffed up back there.

It still didn't poop. Is it okay?

 

[Silkie Princess]

Okay I cleaned the egg. It opened it up a bit to look around itself. I gave it a ew drops of water and it went to sleep

 

[Silkie Princess]

Okay I cleaned the egg.

*eye