Help with Orpington Hatch

Lucindahart

In the Brooder
9 Years
Feb 1, 2010
45
2
32
Hi I have been hatching some fab orpingtons today and yesterday - but need a bit of help from someone more experienced!!!!

I have a chick that hatched in the last hour - who has a growth? attatched coming from his bottom. It liiks a bit like a round sack, with an unbilacle like piece hanging down - if i try and push it off with tissue it doesn't come off - does anyone have any ideas? As i don't want to hurt the chick unsessesarily.

Also one or two seem slippy and their feet split sideways as they sit down, and one keeps ending up on its back? I had them on paper and have put them on hay in case that is better for gripping.

Thanks
Lucinda
 
I'm not very much experienced, and it never happened to me, but... I read on some threads that that could either be the yolk not absorbing all the way, or it hurt itself and something fell out. Both times they kept it moist for a day or so to see if it was the first. If it got too try, it'd have a harder time absorbing into the chick, and I think said would dry enough to fall off. (Not bad thing I think?) I'll try to find some of the threads that have this in them!

I'm not sure about the slippery ones, I haven't seen anything on that. x:

EDIT// Found one of the threads! It even has a picture in the first page, at the bottom.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=291404
 
Last edited:
Can you get a pic of the protrusion? That will help tremendously!

Sounds like spraddle leg for the other two. If you have newspapers in there...take them away. Put paper towels down. If their legs continue to stick out to the sides when they sit, its probably spraddle leg and can be fixed with band aids. Let me find the link...brb

Got it: http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html
 
Last edited:
They should absorb the little round sack in a few days, I don't think there is much that can be done to help them or speed up the process...

As for the ones having balance trouble: I've had luck putting them in a coffee cup or other tall, slender container (one they can't jump out of that keeps them on their feet). This helps orient them and "teach" them how to stand properly. Usually a few hours is all it takes.

If the chicks legs spread out in opposite directions (like they're trying to do a split) it is probably spraddle leg and can be easily fixed by splinting their legs together with a bandaid. Position the pad part of the band-aid between their legs and wrap the adhesive part around their legs. This trains the legs to stay under the body. Usually a day is all it takes, but sometimes 2 or 3 days of splinting are necessary.

Hope this helps! Good luck with the cuties
love.gif
 
Thanks for all your help guys!!!!! I thought it looked like some of the egg sack - but its great to hear that other people tghink i might be right - so if i wauit for it to absorbe itself - should I worry that the chick won't be bale to poop? As it seems to come from his bottom?

THANK YOU
 
Oh and with the splinting of their legs - how tight or loose should the band aid be?

Thnaks again
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom