The thing on the dark chick looks like an unabsorbed yolk. Those usually heal with time. As for dragging their legs, do they try to straighten out and stand? Are the legs always sticking out straight behind, or do they move the legs, and do the legs sometimes stick out on the sides instead of behind?
Thank you I’ll try everything you have suggested I was thinking I did something wrong and am so broken up about the one I already lost due to not hatching all the wayThis 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.
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.
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!
The lighter one is always dragging its leg but the little black one pulls both its legs under it a lot of the time
Thank you very much, hugs are appreciated!!Hi
What I would do is get some kitchen roll and dampen it with warm water then wipe the chicks to get the goop off and put them back in the incubator
One of the reasons the legs are back might be because they are on a plastic surface, what I do is have shelf liner on the floor of the incubator so they have grip, if you don't have that on hand just put kitchen roll on the floor of the incubator, they will be comfier too
As for the dark chick with the thing sticking out it is yoke sac sometimes it does not fully absorb I would not worry too much as it is only a small amount but do put them on a clean surface as it can get infected
Do be very careful not to bust it though when you are handling the chick
Do be ready for them to die (I mean emotionally)
Hope for the best but expect the worst
Everyone on here understands the pain of loosing a bird, you are not alone
I wish you good luck and hope you babys live
Thank you I’m more worried about the little black one it still keeps one leg straight behind and isn’t feeding itself
