Shivering baby chick after assisted hatch

[Alpops]

Please please someone answer this as I haven't had much luck with replies before.
I had a chick who pipped and made a whole big enough to stick his beak though.....30 hours later he had still made no further progress at all, so I helped him by pulling of some bits of shell like in the videos on here. I held the egg in a warm damp towel, then popped him back in the incubator. All was well - he kicked off the shell fine, no blood, yolk sac fully absorbed etc...That was 3 hours ago....he was shivering but seems to have calmed down a bit but there is loads of condensation in there and he only has a few dry tufts so far. He is cheeping LOADS, loudly sometimes, and as if he's in distress sometimes too. He is lying on his side, trying to get up but hasn't yet....I have a 2 day old chick under the hot plate who is happily cheeping to the newby (they are in the same room) - shall I put the half dried newby under the hot plate tonight with his sibling or leave him in the incubator and hope he dries off and doesn't get a chill......?? Please could anyone offer some advice - our first chick died soon after hatching and it would be awful to loose another one....

 

[nchls school]

Please please someone answer this as I haven't had much luck with replies before.
I had a chick who pipped and made a whole big enough to stick his beak though.....30 hours later he had still made no further progress at all, so I helped him by pulling of some bits of shell like in the videos on here. I held the egg in a warm damp towel, then popped him back in the incubator. All was well - he kicked off the shell fine, no blood, yolk sac fully absorbed etc...That was 3 hours ago....he was shivering but seems to have calmed down a bit but there is loads of condensation in there and he only has a few dry tufts so far. He is cheeping LOADS, loudly sometimes, and as if he's in distress sometimes too. He is lying on his side, trying to get up but hasn't yet....I have a 2 day old chick under the hot plate who is happily cheeping to the newby (they are in the same room) - shall I put the half dried newby under the hot plate tonight with his sibling or leave him in the incubator and hope he dries off and doesn't get a chill......?? Please could anyone offer some advice - our first chick died soon after hatching and it would be awful to loose another one....

If the chick is strong it can be put with the other. Lying on his side indicates that he is not strong. Is the bottom of your incubator slippery? Having a rough surface after hatching aides the chicks in being able to stand. By three hours a chick should be standing. Consider leaving the chick in the incubator until morning. If the surface he is on is slippery you need to change that to something rough. If, in the morning the chick is still on his side, be prepared for the worst. Good luck with the chick and any eggs remaining to hatch.

 

[Alpops]

I have just checked on him and he is standing up, zooming around the incubator!!! (crashing into all the other eggs!! Still only half dry.....still cheeping away....

 

[nchls school]

I have just checked on him and he is standing up, zooming around the incubator!!! (crashing into all the other eggs!! Still only half dry.....still cheeping away....

 

[Alpops]

thanks for replying...it's so reassuring to have a second opinion. Do you think he'll be OK under the hot plate for the night?

 

[nchls school]

thanks for replying...it's so reassuring to have a second opinion. Do you think he'll be OK under the hot plate for the night?

With a two day old buddy he should be fine. Be fast in removing the chick from the incubator. If there are more eggs to hatch you don't want the internal environment to change overmuch. Be sure to chickproof where the chicks will be for the night.

I am having trouble picturing "under the hot plate".

 

[Alpops]

I'm not sure that's the correct name - it's the same idea as a heat lamp, but it's a square ceramic 'plate' on adjustable legs....the chicks go underneath it and it's meant to be a bit more like mum as they can get right up against it and be snuggly.

 

[nchls school]

I'm not sure that's the correct name - it's the same idea as a heat lamp, but it's a square ceramic 'plate' on adjustable legs....the chicks go underneath it and it's meant to be a bit more like mum as they can get right up against it and be snuggly.

OK. Now I know what you're talking about and that should be just fine for the chicks.

 

[Alpops]

thanks!