New hatchling can't stand

[carress]

Hi,
This is my class' second time hatching eggs.
One hatched over the weekend, and when the science teacher came in, one chick had mostly come out of the shell, but there was a lot stuck to him, so the teacher dampened the shell to remove it, and the bird just laid there, not really moving. I'm not sure when he hatched, or how long he'd been lying there. He has a tumor the size of an eraser, on the top of his head, and when I try to stand him up, he just flops hack on his butt or falls on his back. I took him out of the incubator and have been giving him drops of water which he mostly takes.

since I couldn't help the kids withtheir essays, and hold the baby, I stuck him in my shirt to kep him warm. I've taken him out about every 5-10 minutes to give him a couple drops of water. He's opened his eyes and is making plenty of noise.

What do I do about the legs? are they under-developed? Will they straighten out, is he okay lying on his back?
When I put him in my shirt, I wrapped him in a paper towel, but his legs are kind of stuck up under him. I'm tempted to straighten them out, but not sure if I should.

To be clear, the legs don't really slide apart, they just seem... too far forward - so they don't him him up.

 

[MrsChickendad]

I'd put him back in the brooder with the others. Sometimes it takes them a little while to learn to walk, and he won't learn if he is carried around. I had one this past weekend whose legs stuck out in front of him and he flopped around with his wings. After a day, he eventually "got" it, and now I can't tell him from the others. The "bump" on the head may be the neck muscle that you don't normally notice. It develops to help them push against the shell. Once they get fluffed out, you don't notice it. Or, it may be a silkie with an open spot in its skull.

 

[carress]

thank you.
It's pretty hard to let him flounder, but we're doing it. I fed him water and sugar water all day. He's on his own tonight, and we'll hope for the best. In the meantime, two more have been triaged, and we're just keeping hope alive for them as well....