Need help please

[CountryChick1862]

Good afternoon all, I just successfully incubated 9 fertile eggs. The first six hatched beautifully on the 21st day. which was on 1/6/25 they are fluffy and in the nursery box eating and drinking since yesterday. I had two hatch out around 1:30am on the 7th they don’t look so good neither is up jumping around the both still look wet but they aren’t they feel like they have hairspray on them. Both are chirping and they are moving around by scooting and flopping. The little black one has something sticking out its backside but its little legs are strong even though it’s not getting up. The lighter of the two is dragging one leg behind I checked it out but it doesn’t seem just right to me but I’m no expert but it’s not gripping with that foot like it is with its other foot. I mixed up a little vitamin and chick starter with a little warm water and used a syringe to drop tiny drops in their mouths the lighter one took it really well the little black one didn’t really act interested. I did get it to take a little bit. Please I’ve been praying for them and I don’t know what else to do can anyone help me please they are both still in the incubator. This is a picture of them and their six siblings that are thriving.

 

[Race3]

I don't know much, but could there have been a humidity issue?

 

[CountryChick1862]

Maybe but I have six that had no problems one that pipped but died before it hatched on out then these two that I don’t know what is going on

 

[CountryChick1862]

Is there anyway to save them! Please

 

[Race3]

Here's what an incubation troubleshooting chart from a book (Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry) I have says:

 

[Race3]

Is there anyway to save them! Please

I'm not sure...good idea with the Chick Stater though! Maybe moisten some food?

 

[Yardmom]

It might be related to humidity. Humidity going to high (humidity raised when ducklings hatched) can cause a slime or humidity dropping from opening the incubator or running low on water can cause the membrane to stick to them.
Either way don't give up. They may just be tired from difficult hatches.
No need to drip water in them. You don't want to have water go down the wrong pipe. They have a couple days where they can live off the yolk sack. Did you assist in hatching?

Give them a day to get stronger then assess their physical needs.

 

[CountryChick1862]

Maybe but I have six that had no problems one that pipped but died before it hatched on out then these two that I don’t know what is going on

I don't know much, but could there have been a humidity issue?

Here's what an incubation troubleshooting chart from a book (Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry) I have says:

Since they have hatched can I save them is there anything else I can do

 

[EggSighted4Life]

both still look wet but they aren’t they feel like they have hairspray on them.

This is albumin dried onto them, sometimes from a difference in egg size or shell porosity. Rinse them off under warm water and put them back into the incubator until they do fluff up. It may be very hard for them to get their balance while still "hairsprayed".

Some individual eggs may be vitamin deficient even when parent stock are fed a balanced diet.

The little black one has something sticking out its backside but its little legs are strong even though it’s not getting up.

This could be unabsorbed yolk. Sometimes putting some triple antibiotic ointment is suggested to help avoid yolk sac infection (omphalitis). Many chicks do recover from this.

The lighter of the two is dragging one leg behind I checked it out but it doesn’t seem just right to me

This could be what's known as splay leg, unless it's a deformity.

You might try putting them inside a small cup lined with a cloth or paper towel, inside the incubator, to see if they can build some leg strength. This has helped many chicks get their land legs under them.

They do not need the chick starter yet and should be viable on just the yolk for upto 72 hours after hatch.

Vitamin water may be good.. poultry nutri drench sometimes works miracles (it doesn't require digestion to work).. hold the chick in one hand with beak facing the bend in the forfinger, using that bend to help catch and direct the drip and drip a small drop just below the nostrils.. as the drop rolls around into the beak the chick will naturally gobble/swallow.

Not every chick that hatches will make it.

Congrats on your healthy babies!

Best wishes for these two to recover quickly and start to thrive!

 

[CountryChick1862]

It might be related to humidity. Humidity going to high (humidity raised when ducklings hatched) can cause a slime or humidity dropping from opening the incubator or running low on water can cause the membrane to stick to them.
Either way don't give up. They may just be tired from difficult hatches.
No need to drip water in them. You don't want to have water go down the wrong pipe. They have a couple days where they can live off the yolk sack. Did you assist in hatching?

Give them a day to get stronger then assess their physical needs.

No this is my first time using an incubator so I was trying to follow everything it says to do I opened the lid to get the fluffy babies out like it said these two was born but not dry yet so I left them alone yet they don’t look very strong or dry