Premature Chick? HELP!!

[Cbuggy]

My father and I are trying to raise our own little flock of chickens(around 60 laying hens) as sort of a side business selling eggs. They are going to be free range out of a chicken "tractor" that he and a neighbor built together, which is pretty much just like a gypsy wagon for chickens. So, we got together 61 eggs from our hens, friends, and relatives, knowing they all wouldnt make it and they all wouldnt be hens, and put them in the incubator. By Monday(the 21st day) we were down to 20 eggs that were presumably still alive.

Yesterday one hatched. He---or she--- hatched on his own but with the red ball of the yolk still attached to its butt. It has been shriveling up so I assume it is being absorbed. I didn't know anything about a chicken hatching prematurely I just found that answer when I looked up yolk sacs on google. My concern is that he hasn't begun walking yet and he's a day old. He can sit up and has started to lean on his feet instead of his bottom, but not for very long. He wobbles and if he goes anywhere he sort of scoots along. I read in a book today in Tractor Supply that if a chick is too hott it could interfere with his growth rate or make him pant, which he does.

Otherwise, he cheeps real good, but he just seems weak. I don't know what to do. If anyone has experienced or heard of a similar case please let me know. ESPECIALLY what temperature he needs to be kept at. ive been trying to kepp it at 95 but it's dificult. He's the only baby out of 61 that survived and I'd like to keep him alive if possible!! Thank you!!

 

[suzeqf]

I wish I could help but my preemy didn't live for more than a few minutes, newborns need 95-100 and i would try to give him some sav a chick with a dropper so he's getting fluids and just wait and see

 

[stoopid]

I'm sorry to hear he isn't doing so well. When the yolk isn't absorbed, they usually don't make it.
Since he is the only one, there may still be a chance, since he won't get trampled and infected.
You have to watch his belly button, I would put neosporin on it. If it is dried up, it may be better off to cut the sac off.
This is a rough one to answer without seeing it. Lots of times, their feet get tangled up, and they can actually pull their intestines out.
Is he trying to eat and drink yet?
Can you get a pic to us?
I know this sounds horrible, but it does happen. Don't beat yourself up if he doesn't make it.
It's great that you logged on and are trying to help.
Roberta

 

[Cbuggy]

The sac has been shriveling up.. normally is it absorbed completely or does it just fall off?

He pecks at the wood chips sometimes. Thing is he doesnt open his eyes all the time. And I got a smaller waterer than we did have today at the store, set it in there. He licked or sort of nibbled at the water I held out to him on my finger, so i picked him up and dipped his lil beak in the water(not for too long of course) and hes begun to suck it in when i do this and then he tilts his head back and gulps it down. When he does that he looks like one of those glass tipsy birds people put on their desks. I was very giddy when he did this.

I'll have to see about the picture tomorrow. He's just so little... It's odd... I always thought that the chick inside the egg would just magically hatch when it was fully grown and ready...and he hatched all by himself...

 

[Cbuggy]

The yolk sac has gotten smaller. That wood chip is stuck to it . I'm scared to pull it off... Would you say it's ready to be cut off? and how do i go about that?

 

[Cbuggy]

theres another view of him in my pictures.

 

[comptonsgonecountry]

Honestly, I would just let it be. I have had two chicks from past hatches hatch without fully absorbing their yolk sac and both of them lived. One laid on his/her back for over 24 hours but eventually got up on it's own. I couldn't tell which one out of all the chicks running around the incubator was the one that was on his/her back the following day. I thought for sure I was going to have to cull the poor thing. But all was ok in the long run.

Just keep a eye out for signs of red (infection) and swelling around the site were the yolk sac is drying up.

 

[stoopid]

No, don't cut it off! The looks of that, I would just neosporin it, and hope it goes down.
He looks alot better than I thought he would! If he has lasted this long, there is a good chance he could make it.
Do you know how to show them how to eat and drink?
You have to dip his beak in the water, and poke and tap at the food like mama would show him.
Good luck!

 

[Dingo]

I'd put some neosporin(without the pain killer) or some iodine on it just to help ward off infection. You could also give him something fluffy to cuddle into, that will help him stay warm.

 

[Cbuggy]

Thanx everyone!!

I have taught him how to drink water, and I'll definitely trytapping the food now.

I just don't know... We may have to cull him : he can barely walk, his eyes arent open, and he's pigeon-toed. I'm going to give it a couple more days and see how things progress...