Silkie chick vaulted skull hairless

[killmak]

So I am in the middle of hatching EE's and Silkies. I have never hatched silkies before so it is something new. I knew that they could have a vaulted skull however the first 3 that hatched had normalish skulls. Then this one hatched and I am wondering if it is normal. He hatched a few hours ago and that is what he looked like right when he hatched. He pipped on the wrong end and made no progress for over 24 hours. I had to help him out of his shell. Membrane was good, no blood, yolk fully absorbed. He is now up and walking around but he is being kept separate with a splayed leg one who is taped up. The other chicks immediately wanted to peck his head when they saw him. Other than his hairless vaulted skull he is doing great. So... is this normal or is he a broken baby.

 

[Debbie292d]

What's he look like after drying off as it's hard to tell in that photo.

I've had one that wasn't bald but had a bald spot. I could only attribute that to rubbing its head on the egg before hatching. It took a couple of weeks but it wound up growing its fuzz back just fine.

I'm sure you have them on grower crumble, but make sure it's at least 18% or so, the higher the better for feather growth.

All of my silkies are vaulted and none of them peck each other's heads so maybe it's the baldness causing them to pick at it. You could put black dots with magic marker at their height in a few spots of your brooder so they can peck at those and might keep them away from him.

 

[killmak]

He is happy and doing good but the first one to hatch keeps pecking at his head if I put him in with the rest.

 

[killmak]

Sadly he didn't make it.