Oh my :( One of my Silkie

[Mom 2em All]

eggs- actually has a pip that is expanding. I would be excited except that two of them have committed suicide- pipped then died. I had one grey one with a vaulted skull hatch (and appears okay) , and I have one that is half hatched, but it looks like it is having involuntary muscle contractions? All over- below its eye, its neck, its wing... its back. I cant see any more of it because the rest is still in the shell.

Think it still thinks it is in the egg, and it is going through hatching motions?

Its a yellow silkie without a vaulted skull. I want it to live. I do I do I do. But because this part of my hatch is going so crappy, I am afraid to get excited. (My Easter Eggers are doing great- got 10 babies last night/today).

 

[conny63malies]

when my dumdum chicken hatched he had seizure looking problems too. He grew out of of it within a few days(as soon as he could walk) I am sending lots of good luck vibes your way.

 

[love-my-wolves]

Awe, Mom, I'm so sorry! I hope your baby is ok, and the hatch goes 100% better! Sending good vibes your way!!! Steph

 

[Mom 2em All]

Well, the chick was still laying there, not coming out of the egg, and looking all but dead this A.M...however, now it is starting to move its head a little more, beaking at the rubber matting under it. Breathing harder. Keeping its eyes closed.
I took all the other chicks out, added a container of warm water to the incubator. They were more than ready to come out- kept standing on the carton and getting their heads too close to the heating element.
I removed the two silkies that pipped then died, verified it- black silkies, one had a vaulted skull, the other didn't. Two other eggs in there that had pipped. I picked them up, ready to toss them- assumed they had pipped then died also, but there is tapping in one, and peeping from the other.

I had another silkie hatch overnight. Looks good except her feet are deformed? Have no idea what to do about it. Three toes normal- pointing outward like they are supposed to do. Then, the other two are up like where her ankles would be, if chickens have ankles? They dont touch the ground, and are on the inside- like where spurs should be. Those two toes look almost fused together. In other words, the chick has no 'back' support.

It is just strange to me that 12 other eggs hatched without any apparent problems, and right on schedule- but this group is having so many problems.

 

[ncgnance]

Hey, Mom, the silkie's feet aren't deformed. They're supposed to have 5 toes. My silkies' feet are like that, too. Just let the hatch proceed normally, leave them alone till they're done. I don't help a chick unless it has been trying for 24 hrs or so after pipping. And usually, I'm sorry I tried to help. It's true, if they need help, other than making sure they're getting air after pipping, it's not meant to be...

 

[Mom 2em All]

NCGNANCE-

I knew they have five toes, but are two of them supposed to be up off the floor when they are standing?

I dont think the other one is like that...I will have to check.

It has been 24 hours. Everyone else looks good, this poor lil chick in shell will be named Sheldon (from Garfield and Friends- the cartoon chick who didnt want to leave his egg, so he just popped out his feet and walked around). It is moving its beak and head more, but looks weak- still has half its self in the egg. And the other two that died in shell, well they were pipped over 24 hours. I am letting these 3 (half hatched and two pips) sit until they decide what they are doing. My mom is getting married tomorrow- and I have a zillion things to keep me occupied.

 

[MaryT]

Good luck hope all goes well!!