Newly Hatched Chick Probs - Please Advise!

[LadyBirdsPalace]

Morning All!

#1 - I have one chick that hatched last night, my humidity dropped and since it was towards the end of the hatch, all the little fluffys are fine, but this one did not dry, she is jelled and crusty about 12 hrs old and I am wondering what I can use to clean her off and give her a hand as it's making it very difficult for her to move at all?

#2 - I have one that is 2 days old, can't stand up. Big, perfectly healthy looking chick, but just flops onto it's side, can not stand upright for anything???

Thank you in advance, I appreciate the advise.

 

[maybejoey]

Have you already taken the one that isnt dry out of the incubator?

Dont know on the other one, maybe he doesnt have enough strength in his legs yet, or maybe he has spraddle leg?

 

[Impress]

Check for splayed legs in the one that isn't standing. Very warm (99.5 degree F) water and a soft toothbrush will work for that dirty birdy, make sure it stays warm and gets dry fast, and don't get water in it's little nostrils.

 

[PegramPoultryProprietor]

#1, I use a very warm damp cloth for some chick cleaning; some stuff actually comes off better when it dries.

#2, I've had one or two that didn't want to walk much at first; just sat around alot but did finally get up after a couple of days. Now I can't tell which they were so you might give them another day or so. Sometimes things just aren't right, so I will caution you on long term special care; it may not be the best for the little sweetie. It always bothers me when I have to decide a little peep isn't going to make it.

 

[dandydoodle]

For the one baby look up how to wash a sticky chick. I think you take a warm wash cloth and wipe the chick. Be careful not to let the baby catch a chill. As far as your other one goes does it seem lethargic or does it just just have a hard time standing? I just had some hatch out with leg problems. From the research I did seems like a vitamin deficiency caused it and that causes slipped tendons sometimes. If they have a slipped tendon they won't walk on it. Look up on here slipped tendon and then check to see if that is your problem. I wouldn't be surprised if it is. They say there are treatments to put it back in if that is what it is, I will tell you though I didn't have any luck with any of that. I really don't know how effective those treatments really are. According to what I have read if it is a slipped tendon the quicker you treat the more of a chance they have for their leg to go back to normal. So if I were you I would check to see if that is it as soon as possible.

OKay I decided I would just look them up for you. I know when your babies are born with issues it can be nerve racking so hopefully these help.

Here is a thread on cleaning a sticky chick.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...earch&siteurl=www.backyardchickens.com/forum/



Okay, I know it says this is guinea fowl but, you will get the same information for chicks. I tried to look up slipped tendon or perosis and this was the one that described it the best I could find right at this moment. The first thing would do is feel the back of the birds hocks ( knee joint ) See if they feel the same or if one feel flat instead of like the other one. You can also feel you other chicks legs and see if this ones legs feel flat in comparison. If it is flat the sooner you try to help the better if you wait to long the hock will get swollen and it won't be able to go back in and this can happen in a matter of days and the leg will also get worse if its not put back in. Anyway check out this site and see if that is what you got.

http://www.guineafowlinternational.org/forum/index.php?id=33252

Hopefully this isn't what you got. I just wanted to help quickly because, with mine by the time I could figure out what was wrong with it I was to late.

Good luck,
Michelle

 

[dandydoodle]

Oh one more thing with mine I treated for splayed leg before checking for slipped tendon. Unfortunately that won't help if the bird has a slipped tendon. Doing this just gave more time for my birds hock to swell. So do yourself a favor and check to see if it has a slipped tendon right away. If it turns out there isn't a slipped tendon you can always then treat for splayed leg if need be. I just went through all this so if you need someone to talk to you can pm me.

Good luck,
Michelle; )

 

[LadyBirdsPalace]

Yes, it seems like #1's wing was gelled to her body, so I think that inhibited her movement and she just laid on the bottom of the incubator after hatch and 'gooed' instead of being all nice and fluffed up like everyone else. It also took her 10 hours to get out of that egg so she slept along time and I figured she probably wouldn't make it...but this AM, she's PEEPING up a storm and floundering around with that one wing stuck to her body. It's quite pitiful but it's trying so I'm trying too.

I got the baby toothbrush out and just about have that wing free, but I'm trying to be so gentle cause I've accidentally had some feathers come out and I don't want to 'BALD' it...

Is there a mild soap that I use to help get the goo off or not a good idea, just stick to the warm water?

As for #2, it is NOT lethargic, it is active, noisy and trying like crazy to get some balance, and it drinking and all good...perhaps it is splayed, I will investigate him after I get 'Crusty' cleaned up there!

THANKS FOR THE INFO, I will check out that page and see if I can get some more off, I was giving her a break since I just about had the wing free...

 

[LadyBirdsPalace]

WHAT a nutty morning!

Thank you for those links dandydoodle and everyone else's input.

Crusty is having a nap! I've gotten the wing free and cleaned up the REALLY goopy areas hoping she'd fluff a bit. I will leave her for a little while to rest and if there is some other spot that need a good scrub later I will tackle it after she's up, but at least she has her wing so she can move a bit. She did have a little drink too!

As for Flipper, I think from my quick read, that one leg is a little splayed, it's turned outward a bit, but not much and there is no swelling and he seems to 'flop' to that one side more, so I am gonna try the bandaid trick and see if I can get him upright. He is SO noisy and not happy! We'll see what we can do!

Appreciate the help! Will let you know how Crusty and Flipper made out!

 

[seminolewind]

Like to hear good news! Make sure the chicks have something "grippy" to stand on. With my last 2 chicks, a paper towel wasn't enough, so I put a dry washcloth in there to stand on.

 

[LadyBirdsPalace]

So here's Flipper...

This is the position he normally is in, on either side and he flails around so much he actually covers quite a bit of ground, but he always falls over once he gets upright, it's like he's top-heavy.

His one little leg does appear a little crooked.

But I'll stand him up and he can hold his balance for a second or two and then he's OVER...

Will the bandaid make a difference if he's not spladdled(sp?)

He's eating, drinking, pooping and ticked right off with me!