Newly-hatched chick with eyes closed

[DanceswLabs]

My broody Leghorn just hatched 6 eggs that I bought for her three weeks ago. The Polish Tophat egg appeared to have a Polish Tophat chick in it. But the 5 little brown Rhode Island Red eggs had a couple of surprises. Three of the eggs produced chicks that are some shade of red, but two of them produced gray chicks. I assume there was a mix-up which is fine with me, because you can't have too many types of chickens. However, one of the chick's eyes are closed, and I took him away from mama for about an hour to dry off and get a good breath. He looked squashed and on the verge of not making it. He just seemed weaker. He seems fine now (several hours later) and is back with mama. However, his eyes are still not open. Any ideas what could be wrong? Any ideas what breed these gray babies might be?

 

[DanceswLabs]

One eye is now open, so maybe it will be ok. Anybody ever had this happen with a newly-hatched chick?

 

[DanceswLabs]

OK...just checked on them again. Of the grays, one is a bluish gray and the other is nearly black. They have dark legs. They came from brown eggs. Any ideas what they are???

Also, the bluish gray still has just one eye open, but it seems healthy otherwise.

I am having a blast watching mama hen instinctively know what to do....yep, I am easily amused. ; )

 

[dianneS]

No idea what the grey chicks are, but I've never had chicks born with eyes closed. Now that one eye is open, I wouldn't worry anymore I think your chick will be fine.

 

[ReikiStar]

Quote:
Glad to hear that eye opened up.

Maybe they were stuck from some hatching goo? You could try gently wiping them with a moist q-tip or just wait and let the other eye open on it's own.

There is something about chickens and ducks with their babies.

 

[DanceswLabs]

Both eyes are opened now. I think it is going to be ok, but it got off to a slow start. Now, I can't wait to see what kind of chicken it is!

 

[DanceswLabs]

Arrggghhß. I just found the dark gray one dead under the mom. It looks like it suffocated;does that happen?

 

[ouracrybaby]

awww i'm sorry. I don't know personally about suffocation. I just felt bad the poor little guy didn't make it.

 

[saint Marcus]

usually wen a chick hatch with its eyes closed its because of too high temperature and too low humidity,I am not sure but the chick might hav died because it was weak..chicks become large and weak when their egg are incubated at high temperature