Newly hatched chick not moving

[lumaie]

Okay. I got a cheapo incubator and rushed to a first try with the first ten eggs of spring. Starting yesterday afternoon, six have hatched. The first five quickly got up and started moving. Two hours ago, the last hatched though it's back end is not completely out of the shell. It is still laying unmoving. The others have started pecking at it. It flinches, but doesn't get up. The rest are not completely dry. What would you all do in my place? Thank you

 

[GodLovesU]

How dry are the other chicks? Do you have a brooder ready?

 

[lumaie]

The five chicks are nearly dry. There was a problem with my brooder. The replacement is due here within the hour.

 

[lumaie]

How dry are the other chicks? Do you have a brooder ready?

 

[lumaie]

I got everyone into the new brooder setup last night. The problem baby is separate from the rest. It lays on its side periodically crying. I dip it's beak into water every so often. It chirps when being cuddled. The attached image was taken just a few minutes ago. Does anyone have any idea what is going on and how to address it? If it is only going to suffer to its natural end, I would rather it be euthanized now. Thank you.

 

[GodLovesU]

@Eggcessive

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

I'm not quite sure what it is from the angle, any chance you could take a photo of the belly side?

From this angle, to me this could be yolk or guts still being outside its stomach cavity.

Is it still making chewing motions with its mouth? If so it might need more time to absorb yolk, and could just need more time left alone in the incubator to finish. Chicks sleep a lot and if it isn't finished hatching (even if already out of the shell) it would not be as active as the others.

If it is guts, odds of survival are low, even if it does it can easily get infected. But I would wait for someone more experienced than me to confirm.

What I would do for now, until we know more, is carefully put its rear end back in its shell if you still have it, put it back in the incubator by itself. Stop cuddling it, it is less likely to get contaminated by whatever bacteria if it stays in the incubator and it may do better with the consistent temperatures and moisture in there.

Oh and newborn chicks don't need food the first few days, so I'd also let it do its thing and not try to feed it just yet.

Congratulations on your hatch and be patient, I know how exciting a first hatch is and how stressful it can be when a birth doesn't go as smoothly as the others! Hang in there

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there an unabsorbed yolk sac? I am really not much good to help with these baby chick issues. Other than giving some electrolytes or NutriDrench, and trying to get it to eat some egg yolk and wet chick feed, I don’t know how to help.

 

[GodLovesU]

Is there an unabsorbed yolk sac? I am really not much good to help with these baby chick issues. Other than giving some electrolytes or NutriDrench, and trying to get it to eat some egg yolk and wet chick feed, I don’t know how to help.

My bad, I keep forgetting you don’t incubate chicks. You’re just so good at helping with everything else, I just tag you out of instinct.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

View attachment 4060357I got everyone into the new brooder setup last night. The problem baby is separate from the rest. It lays on its side periodically crying. I dip it's beak into water every so often. It chirps when being cuddled. The attached image was taken just a few minutes ago. Does anyone have any idea what is going on and how to address it? If it is only going to suffer to its natural end, I would rather it be euthanized now. Thank you.

If it won't get up, there isn't much hope of it surviving. I would cull it if it was mine.