Newly hatched chick having trouble bobbing head and trowing legs back

[Tootsie]

I meant THROWING legs back but it won't let me correct my thread title. Actually putting them back is more accurate.

This is a bantam araucana chick that is less than 2 days old. It was having trouble getting out of shell had pipped Sunday and finally I took the bottom part off as it was stuck onto it late Monday afternoon.
Then I left it in there to dry until the next day after removing the stuck shell. It was a little sticky at first too but finally dried. I did just now (Wed morning) have to wipe some hard crusted yolk off it's lower body though, that is why it looks a little damp in these pics.

It is very frail and seems to sometimes pant even when not that close to the heat light and throws it's feet behind it's body sometimes. I noticed it doing this with at least one leg and sometimes both since it hatched. It also had a raised red bump on it's back which seems to have gone down that I noticed when it hatched.

I have it in an enclosure since the other chicks are 3 days older and all bigger standard chicks all just fine and they will be moving tonight to their new home.

I had set a few bantam eggs a few days later and this was first of them due to hatch. I have now cleaned incubator this morning and put the few remaining eggs back in since it got so dirty from the other chicks hatching.


So I did hold it to the water a few times and it took a very little bit, I have been trying that a few times a day. I did notice after the drink it bobs it head more for awhile and then settles down. It is still under 2 days old though and no interest in food yet. Any suggestions on what I can do for this little one. SHould I do the bandaid on the legs or what?

Any suggestions are appreciated and thanks. Once the other 11 chicks move tonight I won't have to keep it in the container within the chick crate. I have never had this before and all my chicks are so healthy except this one.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Being an assisted hatch, I wouldn't expect him to survive. Consider adding vitamins to the water. The chick can be placed in a small cup to help try to train the legs to their correct position. Chances aren't good though. Assisted hatches usually have feet and leg problems.

 

[sourland]

My guess would be that this chick has some sort of a congenital problem which may have contributed to the reason it could not hatch naturally. I too am dubious as to it's chances for survival.

 

[CarolJ]

I'm sorry you're having this problem with your chick. I had a similar thing happen with a chick I assisted a few months ago. I fed it water with electrolytes in it, and I did everything I could - but it died after several days. Usually if a chick has a problem hatching on its own, there are problems with it that will keep it from thriving. I hope your chick is an exception and will do well.

 

[Tootsie]

Thanks. it is still hanging in there but I am surprised it is. I will attempt the cup thing and thanks for all the input. tHE SECOND ONE from same eggs HATCHED YESTERDAY AND oops hit caps and is doing just fine.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Here's a link for leg problems in chicks:
https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

 

[Tootsie]

Thanks, I read it but do not see anything describing this chicks symptoms. If left out of the cup it looks like Superman trying to fly. well without the wings pointed forward like he would. I am not sure if cup is helping but I am trying. Surprised it is still hanging in there the dear little thing.

 

[AyaBlodgett]

I had one that I assisted, and his legs wouldn't work. So after a day of assisting him to drink, I put him in with the rest of the hatchlings, to see what would happen. The other chicks would bump him, walk on him, and this seemed to stimulate him to move. He scooted around on his rump for about a week and finally got his legs under him. Wobbly at first but now one of the fastest. A month later he is still around, quick. But very small. I will probably have to give him away later.

 

[Tootsie]

OK I will try that as the cup isn't working too well. I can always go back tot he cup later if need be.

 

[Tootsie]

Well I tried taking Cup Chick out of cup but that didn't work well so back in it went. Please note this picture was taken before I added the feed and water in the caps that I attached to the cup.
As you can see the new chick was getting very attached to Cup Chick.

Then I said my prayers that Cup Chick would either recover or go quickly but not suffer and also that it would hang in there long enough for another chick to hatch so this one wasn't lonely. When I woke up this morning I had a new chick and Cup Chick had died and moved on to the Rainbow Bridge.

So now ends the struggle of Cup Chick and these 2 bantam araucanas will have each other if my last 2 developed eggs don't hatch. Thanks for all of your help guys.