MAGGOTS ON MY CHICKEN EGG

[Derpychick]

I have a really urgent problem. My family and I are hatching chicks for the second time- (But the first time there were no survivors) This summer we bought fertilized chicken eggs on June 7. So far we have two chicks, but today a third one started hatching. Our broody hen was teaching the other chicks, and showing them around, so the hatching egg was not being watched or laid on. After looking at the cracked moving egg a little bit, my family and I went out for dinner. We came back around 2 hours later and when we checked on the egg it looked the same, and our broody chicken and the chicks were still gone. Once we looked closer we saw that almost all the cracks in the chicken egg had maggot eggs in them. There were A LOT. Me and my sister took toothpicks and started picking out all the maggot eggs. I know that people are not supposed to help open the chicken egg, but we had to just a bit, so we could get all the maggot eggs off. It was very challenging,and eventually the chick started hatching out. That's when we realized there were maggots on the chick too. So we used the toothpicks to get those off too. I just hope we didn't touch her too much. After all the eggs were off, she was practically all the way out of her egg. I think this is really bad because we helped her get out way too much, so I think she hatched earlier than she was originally going to. Then we put layers of toilet paper in our sink and then rested the almost hatched chick in there. Then we got a mesh lizard cage lid, and a heat light to put above her. Then we put in a heat thermometer. We also turned on the heat. Right now it is only 88 degrees and dropping, where the chick is. I'm pretty sure it is supposed to be 100 degrees though. Please tell me what to do! I really want her/him to live!

 

[dawg53]

The heat should be up to about 90-95 degrees for the first week. You'll need to hydrate her, use an eyedropper to give her a few drops of water on the side of her beak. Also, you can get her started with electrolytes to help build strength, then chick starter.

 

[Derpychick]

Thank you so much for this information. I will be sure to follow it. The chick is doing much better now. She/he still has a umbilical cord, attached to some of the eggshell but it looks dried up. Also she is walking a little bit. She looks pretty healthy, except for the egg shell clinging to her, and she still looks wet and groomed. And later on after I posted my question, the heat rose from 88 to 95, and stayed around those temperatures. YAY! I think she will be alright in the end. Once again thank you so much.