New hatchling with yolk unabsorbed, Help!!!

[lindsayna96]

Hey so we just had 14 chicks hatch this weekend (they're of 5 different breeds, 21 eggs total). And so far we've had 3 hatch with unabsorbed yolks. The first baby passed away yesterday. We knew he wasn't going to make it so we wrapped him in a little nest of tissue and let him sleep in the incubator. Now we have two more chicks that hatched yesterday and this morning with unabsorbed yolk. The one little one who hatched yesterday is a barred plymouth and had about a dime size of the yolk still attached. We kept him in the incubator and then tried to move him to the brooder but the other chicks picked on him and he started to bleed so we wrapped him in tissue and put him back in the incubator. When we found him, he was much stronger and walking around and a third of the yolk had been reabsorbed (just yellow, no major veins or blood left). He's doing well and walking around and eating. We fed him sugar water and put him back into the brooder. But the chicks were picking on him again so we seperated him into his own seperate sanctuary inside the brooder. Is this okay? We're worried about him being alone. Also, our little orpington who also hasn't absorbed his yolk is still in the incubator and growing stronger. Should we move him into the sanctuary with the other? Or make him his own. We're worried about them getting lonely. Also we though by putting him in the brooder, the kitty litter and heat would help dry out the yolk so it would fall off. He's been eating normal feed this morning. Pleaseeee any suggestions or help would be appreciated!! Thanks so much!! (also should we try and cut the yolk?)

 

[Overoberyl]

I wouldn't try to dry it out, I would try to keep it moist so it can be reabsorbed, and definitely do not cut it...depending on how big it is you can also put a band-aid over it. Were these assisted hatches, or did they hatch out on their own with unabsorbed yolks? What is the temp in your incubator?

 

[lindsayna96]

They hatched on their own and were the last few of the bunch. The temp in the incubator is at about 98 degrees. The one in the brooder is doing well but crying so do you think he's lonely? The one in the incubator I dont think is getting stronger. His yolk is longer now and red and he's having trouble standing up.

 

[Overoberyl]

They hatched on their own and were the last few of the bunch. The temp in the incubator is at about 98 degrees. The one in the brooder is doing well but crying so do you think he's lonely? The one in the incubator I dont think is getting stronger. His yolk is longer now and red and he's having trouble standing up.

Yes, they will often chirp if they are alone, but he will be fine don't worry. If it really bothers you, you can always put one other chick in with him. For the one in the bator, If it's not huge, you can use a damp q-tip and gently try to "help" it on in there, being careful not to tear the membrane, then place a band-aid over the umbilicus. I've done this successfully one time. If it's huge, probably not much you are going to be able to do to help. Unfortunately, when this happens, sometimes they absorb the yolk with no problem and are fine, and sometimes they don't.