Need help! Premature EE chick....

[Chickens n' more]

I have 18 eggs in the bator and yesterday had 2 hatch. One of them is running around and healthy, but the other one must have been in way too big of a hurry! After he zipped and kicked the top of the shell off, I could see yolk! I quickly pulled him out, keeping the bottom half of the shell on him and wrapped him with a wet paper towel and duct tape (lol). I have been keeping the paper towel moist all night and he seems to be doing fine. I left his little beak out and he looks at me with one eye and talks to me.

How long will it take before his yolk is absorbed? So far, he has been this way for about 12 hours. I thought maybe I would check again this afternoon, but not sure if that is too soon. I read the paper towel thing on another thread the other day and it worked for them!

PS. Have 3 more pips as of 4am!!

 

[Emilys3guppies]

I wish I had some wisdom for you but I didn't want to read and run. How early was he, do you think? I'm sorry about your premature baby...I hope he pulls though! I hope that someone else can bring some good advice, or at least confirmation that there's nothing else you can do.

All the best,
Emily

 

[insiderart]

Well that's a new one on me. Maybe the person whose thread you saw will chime in.

 

[Chickens n' more]

Yesterday, when I noticed him pipping, would have been day 19. Not real early, he just wasnt as ready as he thought he was. Just went in there to wet his wrap down again and the little rascal had made his way out of my paper towel/duct tape!

I could see no more yolk, but he was REALLY bleeding. Being in the medical profession all my life, I jumped in to rescue mode and held compression on his little belly button for awhile and the bleeding stopped.

He is VERY active and very loud so I am still hopeful that he will pull through. Some might say to put him out of his misery, but how can I do that to a little baby that is SOOOO determined? If I see him starting to suffer, I might. Until then, I will fight right along with him!

 

[insiderart]

Chickens n' more :

Yesterday, when I noticed him pipping, would have been day 19. Not real early, he just wasnt as ready as he thought he was. Just went in there to wet his wrap down again and the little rascal had made his way out of my paper towel/duct tape!

I could see no more yolk, but he was REALLY bleeding. Being in the medical profession all my life, I jumped in to rescue mode and held compression on his little belly button for awhile and the bleeding stopped.

He is VERY active and very loud so I am still hopeful that he will pull through. Some might say to put him out of his misery, but how can I do that to a little baby that is SOOOO determined? If I see him starting to suffer, I might. Until then, I will fight right along with him!

If he becomes listless I might give him some drops of sugar water/yogurt. I found that a dropable slurry of sugar water and plain yogurt perked up any chicks that were iffy. Usually after just one day of giving them drops every 4 hours or so. (probably about 0.5-1 ml)​

 

[Chickens n' more]

Thanks insiderart! I just checked on him and he is fluffing up some and still peeping! I will try the sugar water. He did loose quite a bit of blood before I found him. I had just walked out, fixed another cup of coffee, and went back so it wasnt long, but it was pumping pretty good. I was trying to find the "wet paper towel" post again, but I gave up. I did find a couple of places where others mentioned it also.

 

[FenDruadin]

Two of my three ducklings still had the yolk attached when they hatched. I had humidity issues. I didn't *do* anything about it but just watch (and post frantically on boards, lol). Eventually, the cord dried up and fell off. Neither of them had any problems related to that, although one was sticky for a long time after hatching, and the other one died at one week of age (I have no idea whether it was related to the yolk issue, but I doubt it). The one that was sticky is thriving--he's a little smaller than the other ducklings whose hatch was totally normal, but she is the hugest two-week-old duckling I've ever had.

So, anyway, if he's active and strong, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I hope he pulls through for you!