newly hatched chick staying on its back

[krissi1217]

Hi,

You can use a narrow storage container with paper towels on the sides to make a "well" in the middle for the chick. The idea is to keep the chick in an upright position and not be able to fall over on it's side. It's fine for them to be laying down too, so long as it is in an upright position.

HTH

Did you wait for him to dry off in the incubator? I'm having the same issue with one that just hatched.

 

[RafterB_ranch]

Old thread, but I think duck-in-a-cup might have saved two of our late Hatcher’s (due to cold incubation). They were both flipping on their sides and one was tucking it’s head back under its wing with legs straight out the back.
Cups with ducks had to go into the brooder, as the incubator lid was too short. 5 hour for one duck and it’s now standing and wobbling forward on both legs instead of flopping in its side like it did in the incubator. Second duck is getting a bit more time as one back leg is still wanting to stick out the back. they did 5 hours on their own overnight, and now I will go in about once an hour to feed an electrolyte/sugar/food water mash and hope they perk up.

Need more time to confirm that they will survive but so far it’s doing the trick!
So grateful to this whole forum and posters. Advice offered has definitely saved multiple ducky lives.

 

[Florida Backyard Chickens]

I have one that wants to stay on his back so I put him in a coffee cup but he’s pressing against the side like he’s trying to walk up in side ways?!?

 

[Florida Backyard Chickens]

I have one that wants to stay on his back so I put him in a coffee cup but he’s pressing against the side like he’s trying to walk up in side ways?!?

 

[BelovedBirds]

if you leave them on their backs like that they will die


something is wrong they cant support themselves

here is my two cents

wrap them so they stay up right and hand feed and water them, also work there legs in a peddling or walking motion ( to build muscle or to maintain what they have). watch them cause one of two thing will happen they will get better or they ( I am sorry to say this but they will die)

It isnt always so extreme.
My first duckling, an assisted hatch, was extremely unsteady, flipped on her back, and kicked her legs, peeped, feet still curled for a long time. she just couldnt stay up and she wouldnt rest. I kept a hand over her, in the incubator, trying to keep the heat in, but support her, she was fine after a couple hours. She is 8 weeks old now, a strong healthy young duck.
Being ln their back isnt good but it isnt an immediate death sentence, no need to scare anyone, just friendly advice and reassurance. It's a bit of a shock being free from the egg, if they've been struggling to get out for a while it's a big adjustment.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

R

UPDATE: It's been four days and the chick is perfectly fine! Putting it in the container overnight was most definitely the fix.

 

[DebAnneDigi]

Running into same issue. Thankful to find this post…keeping hope pray

 

[Velvet Sparrow]

I once had a chick in the incubator that kept flipping over. I made him this little 'Chick Dalek' out of a circle of heavy cardboard and tape. It went from the top of his chest to his feet, snug enough around so he couldn't fall over. The bottom was open, so he could still walk around the incubator (run actually, the noise it made scraping against the wire during chick zoomies was hilarious). It kept him upright and after a few hours I was able to remove it once he got his sea legs.