SPLAYED LEGS

[ClintDowns]

Well I am not sure yeat but I think that I may be ****** at myself for doing something that I have yet to do in the last 6 hatchings. I have hatched out over 400 chicks in the last couple of months or so and I have never had splayed legs. Didn't even know what it was. Instesd of letting the babies hatch out on the small 1/4 in wire that comes in the bottom of the GQF incubators (like ive done so far) I thought that I would put papertowels in the bottom to make easier cleanup after the hatching. I have also read in here that alot of people put the papertowels down for hatching. They started hatching on sunday and I was going to take the top off tonight and put them in the brooder, I have peeked in the quite a bit and I think I have several with splay legs. What do you do if I have alot that has it. Some of them looked as if they couldn't even stand.

I will have more info to sahre tonight when I take the top off but here on out I will never put another piece of papertowel in the incubator again for hatching.

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't think the paper towel had anything to do with having splayed legs. It provides a slip-free surface. Newspaper can be slippery and shouldn't be used.. You can treat it early with a bandaid holding their legs together for about 3 days. You may be dealing with something else--a temperature problem during hatch or genetics.