Help! day 23 and a chirping egg PICS ADDED!

[ilikethedesert]

temp seems good. Around 100+ under the lamp. The baby tried pecking but it's like it misses the food. I've been given it gatoraide and will try vitamins, yogurt and egg, again today.

Should I try taking the splint and shoe off?

 

[flnatv]

Quote:
No idea... hopefully your chicken midwife can answer that

She is now my hero

On another note... it should hurt to take it off for a bit and see how things go... might be time to change it anyway

 

[ilikethedesert]

Quote:
No idea... hopefully your chicken midwife can answer that

She is now my hero

On another note... it should hurt to take it off for a bit and see how things go... might be time to change it anyway

The shoe has been on a couple days but we just did the leg splint last night, so I may wait a few hours for that. Chicky likes to sit in it's paper towel donut.

 

[Northwood Silkies]

Quote:
We made a leg splint to keep its legs parallel. Can stand but falls over and can't get back up. (Typing with one hand holding baby as it sings

Drinks when I bring it to water but doesn't eat. I tried mash and scrambled egg - which is so cannibalistic! No real interest. Rarely opens eyes fully. Maybe it cant see? It sits upright in paper towel donut and can get out but eventually falls over. What should I do??????????????????
I've been reading all kind of posts on the message board for hours and still don't know.
Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I have a chick with curled toes I just use the clear shipping tape and place the feet flat on the sticky side and then fold the rest of the tape over the foot and then cut the excess off around the feet and the chick walks just fine without falling over as far as the eyes not coming open. The eye lids may be stuck together so I would take warm water and wipe the eye lids and gently pry them open. I have had chicks with this also. Try that and see what happens.

 

[flnatv]

update please?
this is the first one I go to in the morning...

 

[ilikethedesert]

I love that my chicky has a following. Still going. Drinks a sip or two when I bring it to the water. Every once in a while, if I "peck" first with my finger, it will copy, but never seems to get food in it's beak. Then it turns away. I've tried scrambled egg- nothing, hard boiled yolk, nothing, hard boiled egg white cut to look like a worm, pecked but not eaten. Crumble food mash, baby vitamins- which I drop on beak so those go in. Oats. Next I'll try honey. When it drinks its having Gatorade which it seems to like. I had its foot taped which helped a bit with the toes. I also splinted the legs as one looked splayed which worked! Took tape off yesterday and it now hobbles around and doesn't fall over much. When it does I have to help it up. Heat in brooder is good. I put it with the healthy chick so it can mimic. I walked away for a minute and when I came back chick 1 was pecking chick 2's feet so I separated them. It seems to perk up for a few minuted when they are together so I'll try again- supervised.

Don't know what else to do. I feel like if I can get this baby the hang of eating on it's own, it will thrive.

It's eyes are squinty but can open. I'm not sure how well it sees. Eyes look a bit bulgy, which they have from hatching. Not sure if that is due to dehydration or something else. I feel like the baby sees shadows.

I wish there were a chicken vet that could come over and help me. Do any of you live in South west CT?
Stephanie and the white chicken who is yet to be named.

 

[flnatv]

Yes... you do have a following...

I think you are doing just great

All of our little chicks pecked at each others feet... and eyes... and ...........
I do wish it could get back up on its own... that would make you feel better (and me

)
My daughter has a little silkie chick and she named it Bug... that might be good for your little one... don't really know why she picked that name, but she's a teenager so I guess she doesn't need a reason

Like you said... supervise today and maybe all will be good and it can learn from the other chickie.

 

[Ceinwyn]

I hope your little one is recovering today.
I'd advise keeping it seperated from any other birds until its fully recovered.
Alot of what your describing in its behavior sounds viral and you shouldn't assume its just from a difficult hatch.
What was the source of the eggs you were incubating?
I read through quickly but wasn't able to find it.
I'm praying he/she pulls through.

 

[ilikethedesert]

I got the eggs from a person in Tenesee. The other one that did hatch seems fine. I had incubator problems with the temp and humidity not being constant. (It was borrowed). None of the other eggs hatched, so that being said- it may have been the incubator. I had to help this little one hatch after becoming shrink wrapped- which I'm sure is why it has problems. In nature, it wouldn't have hatched. Since I changed that fate, I want to give it every chance I can!

The brown one hatched on it's own on day 21. The white one is my problem child.

 

[Ceinwyn]

Thank you for showing the pic.
I take back what I said about the possibility of a virus.
What your describing sounds like a riboflavin deficiency in the laying hen.
We often are quick to blame our inexperience of our incubators when things go wrong but often its the health of the laying hen.
It really looks like nothing you did, and you've gone far above the call of duty trying to help your little one.

Here is a good article for you to read and see if it matches what you are experiencing.

http://www.dsm.com/en_US/html/dnpna/anh_poul_vit_b2_def.htm

I would contact the person you got your eggs from and let them know of your experience.
I really am praying for you and your little one.
I hate to see anything suffer, especially for something that can be avoided by something as simple as proper nutrition.