OVERLY tired newly hatched chick...anyone had this? Not first timer ;)

[trinacliff]

Ok, so I just put "not first timer" to convey that I am not the overly excited paranoid new mother....been there though!!

hehe

I have this chick that went from pip to hatch in just a few hours, and hopefully I just answered my own question (LOL), but I'd like to see if anyone else has experienced this.

Once the chick hatched, it has barely moved...breathing, see little heartbeat type movement, but even when I tap on the bator, it flinches a little then goes right back to the sleeping position. I mean, it hasn't even held it's head up...hasn't floundered around trying to stand, nothing. It is just not acting like a normal healthy chick. I HAVE had others pip, zip and hatch within a few hours, and never had one barely move for such a long period after. I'd say it hatched about 2 hours ago. So, has anyone seen this and did the chick(s) survive? I have another egg pipped right behind it, so I can't take it out yet...and it is very much still drying.

Thanks for any insight!

Kristen

 

[Illia]

It may just be exhausted. I once had a Marans pip for over 12 hours, then try and hatch out of zipping stage for hours. . . I just had to help it in the end. Turns out it was SO exhausted from all that, it couldn't stand up. It would peep and wiggle and writhe all over the place, but couldn't stand up. Most of the time, it would lay upside down, and the other chicks would try and sleep on it. I was too worried they'd choke it, as its neck was their pillow. . . So, I took all the other chicks out,and let it regain its strength. The next morning, it was perfectly fine and healthy. Even now, it is 2 weeks old and doing great.

 

[RedfogsFlock]

We just went through that with a duckling. It took her 39 hours from pip to zip, and she just laid there for two days! We thought we were going to lose her. BUT she's all good now, and in the outdoor brooder with the big girls.! Even though she's way smaller than them.

 

[trinacliff]

Quote:
That is one reason I'm really concerned about this chick...because it doesn't even wiggle around...just lays there. I have to check to see if it is even breathing. Never had one not really move at all....

Thanks!

Kristen

 

[Jess N Jeff]

I just hatched a bunch of Australorps this past weekend. My first chick pipped, zipped and was out within an hour. 2 days before anyone else. After she was out, she slept non-stop for a full day. No movement...nothing. I thought she was dead. I shock the bator...nothing. I got really sad, but as soon as the other chicks started to pip, she was up and around.

Good luck!!!

Oh yeah, she is absolutely fine now...guess who is already showing signs of dominance?

 

[trinacliff]

Quote:
Oh good...then there is hope...this one is the first one out, and a little bit early, so maybe mine will pull through like yours. Thanks!

Kristen

 

[AdamNV]

Ah so glad I found this, my recently hatched chick is like this now and it's so hard to look at them sleep so much Only a tiny bit of chirping and then just breathing !

I know its a very old thread though but this is why I love these forums, you find almost everything here

 

[abgraves69]

Me too. I just had this same thing happen. Chick is just laying on its side. Breathing. A few chirps here and there. I'm glad to hear Thea hopeful posts.

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

This old thread just gave me hope - THANKS to all of you! I have an Easter Egger chick hatched under an experienced Silkie mom. The chick is soaking wet and just laying there. Mom's keeping it warm but I was worried it had a problem. I guess I would be pretty exhausted too after fighting my way out of a shell! So maybe it'll be okay - I'll just give it some time.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Another, "This old thread just gave me hope"... almost 11 years after it was started (April 6, 2010.) These "forums" are a treasure.