Problem Hatch

[mrsodell1980]

We just had a problem hatch this past weekend. We had a house sitter because we were out of town (bad planning!). He was raised on a farm and has been around all types of hatching birds, including chickens. We left specific written and verbal instructions, the most important of which was don't open the incubator once hatching starts. Well, the first 3 chicks hatched, and I think he opened the incubator to take them out. I think this because all of the other chicks had peeped, but were shrink wrapped and dead in their shells when we got home. This was our second hatch, and the first one didn't yield any dead in shell birds, and we did everything the same, so I feel like this is a logical conclusion to jump to.
My questions are:
1. One of the chicks seems to have a gimp leg. The leg looks fine, but the chick doesn't really put weight on it. The chick eats and drinks fine. Should we let it grow up? Will it get pecked on once we move them out with the existing flock? What's the humane thing to do? I'm obviously open to opinions!
2. All 3 chicks have what looks like poop stuck to their butts, but it hasn't moved at all all week. What is it, and is it ok?

Thanks so much in advance!!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Get the poop off the butts ASAP. They will DIE if it stays there, it prevents them from being able to poop, so do it ASAP (I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH) OK I wasn't mad just worried.

The one with the gimp leg. Well, let it live but if its a heavy weight breed (orpingtons, or anything bigger for sure considered heavy weight) then it might have trouble walking and need to be culled, however I'd let it live and see how it progresses

 

[mrsodell1980]

Get the poop off the butts ASAP. They will DIE if it stays there, it prevents them from being able to poop, so do it ASAP (I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH) OK I wasn't mad just worried.

The one with the gimp leg. Well, let it live but if its a heavy weight breed (orpingtons, or anything bigger for sure considered heavy weight) then it might have trouble walking and need to be culled, however I'd let it live and see how it progresses

Hi! Thank you so much for the info! I got this message on my phone and we did what you said, and the chicks are already doing better and the red spot is already healing up now! So thank you thank you thank you
We also went ahead and euthanized the gimp leg one 'cause it was starting to get dark, and I don't know if the chick was in pain, and the other 2 chicks were already picking on it
Here's the 2 babies that have survived that you helped me save!

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Glad you saved them! They are adorable. Do you know the breeds? I'll cross my fingers

that they are both hens !

 

[mrsodell1980]

Glad you saved them! They are adorable. Do you know the breeds? I'll cross my fingers

that they are both hens !

The pretty spotted head is a Cream Legbar, and the lady I got the eggs from thinks the other one is an Icelandic? So we know the Cream Legbar is a girl, and crossing our fingers for the other one

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Ah, lucky, our icelandics died

Have fun with them!

 

[mrsodell1980]

Ah, lucky, our icelandics died

Have fun with them!

Oh no! I actually don't know much about them, so I'll have to do some reading Excited for the others to hurry up and grow so we know what they are!