Newborn keets in trouble :(

[Youknowmyname57]

My d'uccle has successfully hatched 8 keets over the past 3 days. This morning 3 eggs were still working on hatching but I had to go to a family reunion. When i got back 2 of the eggs had rolled into the water dish. There was little water in it and I had clean rocks in it so the other keets would stay safe, but that little enough was enough to soak into the cracking egg. I pulled the first one out and went for the second--and in that second the first egg disappeared. Turns out my little terrier mix had grabbed it and run with it. We found him on the lawn chewing on the egg with the chick beside it, a blood spot on its head and a bit of yolk sac still attached but breathing. I put the chick and the other wet egg back under mom and checked back an hour later. Both chicks were hatched completely but out of the nest and cold. I immediately took both of them up to the house and under heat lamps. The one who just got wet seems to be doing okay--weak but moving and chirping and he just drank, but the littlest one just lays there, unable to lift his head. He does move a little and peeps some but he is very weak. I out him under a towel that supports his head--but what else can I do? It's late Saturday night so I don't have access to a vet or feed store for any supplements.

 

[SIMZ]

I don't have much advice other than to keep doing what you're doing. I'm posting to say that I hope your two little ones make it. They've been through a lot!! Wow!

 

[Sgtfirstwife]

Do you have any vitamin water or electrolytes? If not try a bit of sugar mixed with water. Just drop a couple of drops into the chicks beak. The only thing you can do is keep it warm and dry. Good luck...

 

[Youknowmyname57]

Thanks--they survived the night but the double whammied one is really weak and just sits there most the time with his head down. I don't think he was ready to even hatch--he's smaller and his good eye isn't open. His other eye looks swollen shut, probably because of the dog taking the shell off. At least he was chewing on the shell and not the chick. The other is better but not the way he should be.

 

[Youknowmyname57]

Electrolytes as in Gatorade? I did start giving sugar water last night--and three times so far today, and he has been accepting it. I just put some chopped hard boiled egg in. The stronger one is eating but is still not as active as he should be but my little guy is very quiet. He peeps when I pick him up and will struggle but once in the bin he mostly just lays there with his head stretched out. I hate this. The good news is I do have 8 healthy keets being taken care of by their loving adoptive mom. I only hope these two will eventually join her. Thanks!

 

[SIMZ]

A few months ago we had a broody hatch eggs. A few days after hatching, when she had them up and about, we moved them back into their coop from the crate they hatched in (long story). Later, we heard peeping from the crate and found a smashed egg in there with a chick still inside. In a panic, I hatched him - he wasn't ready and there was bleeding. I put him under a heat lamp. A few hours later, it looked like he was in a coma and dying, so I turned the light off for about an hour. Then I noticed he had his eyes open - so I turned the light back on. Ugh!

He was very, very weak for a few days. I gave him a few drops of Nutri-drench (from TSC) a few times a day. I was careful to not drop it in his mouth, but kind of scraped it on the side of his beak, so I didn't cause him to breathe it in. It took him 2 days to even start sitting up. After 3 days he was on his feet (although, still a bit weak), but I put him back with his siblings because he needed to be raised by that broody.

We leg-banded him to keep an eye on him. He seemed slow to start eating, but after about a week he was scooting around with everyone else. He's now about 8 weeks old and just as strong and healthy as the rest.

All that to say that keep doing what you're doing and give them a few extra days. They may pull through with a little time and turn out fine. I would suggest something with electrolytes or something more than just sugar water if you can until they start eating.

 

[Youknowmyname57]

Thank you so much. I have been giving him sugar water which he is drinking. I'll go to the feed store tomorrow and see if they have some Nutri-drench. I'm just worried because he hasn't been eating--the stronger one is but not this little guy. How long before yours ate? I'd eventually like to put him back in with the broody hen but she is a banty and already has 8 chicks under her; I'm afraid this weak one will get shoved to the side and freeze.

 

[SIMZ]

So, if the one guy is sitting up and actually able to drink, then maybe let him go for several hours and see if he'll eat and drink on his own. Go ahead and offer electrolytes in his water if he's drinking on his own. It seemed like my little guy didn't eat for days (3-4-5?). I wasn't sure he even could because it seemed like he pecked at things, but couldn't quite get it together to get the food in his mouth. I wasn't sure if he'd make it, but then one day I saw him actually eating with his little hatch mates.

Remember - they can go for a few days on that absorbed yolk sac. Keep offering food and finely chopped scrambled egg. Sometimes dropping it in front of them will get them to peck.

Keep us updated!! It sounds like it's going ok so far, right?

 

[Youknowmyname57]

Yes, he's sitting up but shaky--and not that often. Most of the time he stays down and breathes hard. His drinking the sugar water I offer and I'll be giving him some Nutridrench tomorrow. I offered warm milk with soaked bread as well as the eggs and he wasn't interested. The good news is that the other one is doing very well and could probably join his mom in a couple of days but I'll keep him in with the little one for company.

I don't know if I mentioned that one eye is closed shut like a prizefighter's but I washed it out a bit and he peeked open an eye--so I know he has one! He hollered up a storm but I was very fast and gentle. I also noticed today that the end of his top beak is sightly chipped off--again, probably from the dog taking the egg. His coloring is different from all the other keets too; they have white on their bellies and throats but this one is darker.

 

[SIMZ]

I sure hope he makes it! What do you call him? We call our miracle chick, "Crate", because we found him in the dog crate. lol