new chick alternates between being feisty and playing dead

[campchickens]

13 hour old chick:

Can't seem to figure out how to use its legs and feet, never really stretched out after hatching.

We treated it like spraddle foot around hour 7, and it started hopping around a little bit better.

Hour 12 or so, found it very limp and lethargic, wouldn't open eyes. Noticed a pasty butt. Cleaned it carefully. It pooped a ton after that, some bright green, some yellowish and watery. Cleaned it again.

Now the dang baby is still going back and forth between being totally limp (not like other sleepy chicks I've held that sort of stir or wake up) and kicking like crazy trying to get out of my hands.

I'd honestly fret less and sleep all right tonight letting nature take its course, but this is a summer camp, and the campers celebrated and watched the chick hatch this morning. I feel like I should do all I can to help it now, or at the very least, learn about some of the typical newborn chick problems.

Is it just a weak chick that may very well not survive?

 

[GitaBooks]

Some chicks are too weak or sometimes even deformed upon hatching and nothing can be done. Some were cramped in the shell too long as they couldn't break out, and just need some time to stretch out. Spraddle leg usually occurs when the surface they stood on was too slippery, though it can be because of weak legs.
I had a chick (I called him "My Fav" because he was a Faverolle) that had a neurological problem. I think it was from rough handling during shipping. Anyways, he would scream and kick when I moved him, but sleep quietly when I held him still. When I put him down he would run around in circles, twisting his head in odd motions. It progressed to the point where he couldn't stand.

Hopefully your chick doesn't have this, though. It could be any number of things. Keep him warm, drinking and hydrated, make sure he is getting his electrolytes. Remember, a newly hatched chick still has its yolk to feed off of, so it shouldn't be a nutrition problem unless its mother didn't have proper nutrition when she laid the egg.
Some chicks, those that are more trusting, sleep more soundly than others. It can be hard to tell a spraddle legged chick from a sick one or a sleepy chick from a sick one.

Are there any other symptoms? What did its legs look like? Is it eating?

I hope he gets better. Best of luck!

 

[campchickens]

Well, much to my shock this morning, this conversation can continue because the chick made it through the night!

Still struggling to walk, and you're right, it's not quite spraddle leg. There wasn't a slippery surface. But that was the best fix we could come up with give where its feet were curled up, and it seems to be able to take a step or two at a time between rolling all over the place on its back.

Its poop is still blackish-green, almost meconium-like.

So I guess, since it's alive, awake, alert, and somewhat enthusiastic, I should keep monitoring general health, but what to do about its feet? I'll try to get a picture later, but if you can imagine the chick fresh out of the shell, it just never really left that position.

 

[Nadiia]

URGENT!!

I went to check on my hens egg when she was bathing this morning.. I noticed the egg had a crack in it and thought my hen did it because she's quite aggressive towards my other hens chick! So anyway, I picked up the egg and pulled back some of the shell.. I saw a beak!! So I put the egg down straight away, stopped my hen bathing and put her next to the egg.. When she saw it she rolled it and then chick chirped! I then put her on the egg.. When I check on the egg ten minutes later, the chick looked like she was sleeping? She wasn't chirping at all.. Only moving her mouth a little, this is the first time I've had an egg hatch with it's mummy!! Did I do the right thing? Will the chick get suffocated?!

PLEASE HELP!

 

[GitaBooks]

Chicks can take a while to hatch. The process is exhausting and they will rest, sometimes for hours, before finishing. However, I have had more than one chick under its mothers that couldn't hatch on its own. If the chick doesn't make any progress and seems to be getting too tired, you could try very, very carefully picking away the shell. Try not to tear the membrane, as this can cause bleeding. If you pick away a ring around the shell, where the chick's beak would have, than it should be able to free its self on its own.

Mother hens know how to sit so they don't suffocate eggs. However, a chick stuck in its shell too long will die, so I would keep an eye on it.


This is a hatching egg. The chick has opened a breathing hole and is resting.


Good luck!

 

[GitaBooks]

Well, much to my shock this morning, this conversation can continue because the chick made it through the night!

Still struggling to walk, and you're right, it's not quite spraddle leg. There wasn't a slippery surface. But that was the best fix we could come up with give where its feet were curled up, and it seems to be able to take a step or two at a time between rolling all over the place on its back.

Its poop is still blackish-green, almost meconium-like.

So I guess, since it's alive, awake, alert, and somewhat enthusiastic, I should keep monitoring general health, but what to do about its feet? I'll try to get a picture later, but if you can imagine the chick fresh out of the shell, it just never really left that position.

I'm glad that the chick made it through the night.

I'm not sure if this would work, but you could try using splints to straighten its legs and toes. Curled toes I know are a common problem with chicks and pretty easy to fix. This could help its muscles get use to the new position and help strengthen its legs.

I hope it works! Good luck!

 

[campchickens]

Thanks! Certainly not out of the woods yet, but between splinting the legs with teensy bandaids and keeping the vent clean, the chick is doing much better. It even ate and took a little water, which I added a little bit of sugar to. We'll see! Thanks for your help. It might just be a weak chick.

 

[Nadiia]

Chicks can take a while to hatch. The process is exhausting and they will rest, sometimes for hours, before finishing. However, I have had more than one chick under its mothers that couldn't hatch on its own. If the chick doesn't make any progress and seems to be getting too tired, you could try very, very carefully picking away the shell. Try not to tear the membrane, as this can cause bleeding. If you pick away a ring around the shell, where the chick's beak would have, than it should be able to free its self on its own. Mother hens know how to sit so they don't suffocate eggs. However, a chick stuck in its shell too long will die, so I would keep an eye on it. This is a hatching egg. The chick has opened a breathing hole and is resting. Good luck!

Thanks for getting back to me! There was a bit of blood, I ended up completely hatching the egg myself. She's fine now though, I put her with her mum and it took a couple hours but they've attached to eachother now. However! I have another hen who also has a chick so they both have a baby each. But one of the hens will chase the other ones baby, grab her and hold her in her mouth?! Before I thought she was doing it to steal the chick because she didn't have her own but now she does and she still does it?!?!?!

 

[GitaBooks]

Keep them separated at all costs! My mother Sebright killed all of my other mothers chicks by grabbing them and tearing their skin!

Once the chicks are fully feathered they should be safer from attacks.


This chick passed away eventually. The skin was torn off, which is why it looks so bad.

 

[Nadiia]

Keep them separated at all costs! My mother Sebright killed all of my other mothers chicks by grabbing them and tearing their skin! Once the chicks are fully feathered they should be safer from attacks. This chick passed away eventually. The skin was torn off, which is why it looks so bad.

That's awful!! I'm so sorry to hear that. Shall I keep them seperate at night aswell? We keep them apart during the day but they're normally okay at bedtime x