Quail chicks lying on side--give fluids or no?

[MomFoldingLaundry]

Hey guys,

I have several newly hatched chicks laying on their side in the incubator. (I "helped" and they were born a bit premature.)

a couple have perked up and are walking. Others...are taking longer. My question is--should I give them electrolyte solution or just let them be? I dropped a little on their faces using a straw, but I don't want to open the incubator and get them too cold.

Do you guys just watch and wait with those stragglers? Or do water+electrolyte solution?

 

[Nabiki]

I watch and wait. In my experience, about 75% of the chicks that need help out of the egg needed that help for reasons. Only about 25% are fine. The others either don't make it or need to be culled.

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

interesting. pretty much all the chicks in this hatch pipped but then didn't unzip. It was weird. But I do know that my birds were kind of malnourished and not at their best when they laid these eggs. Maybe that explains why they are all weak.