Hello all. Just thought I'd share this because it was a totally new experience for me, and I'm sure new for a lot of you too. I had a chick hatch yesterday, all by his onesy savvy, but after he got out he couldn't walk. I let him rest, figuring he was tired, but when his younger brother started walking and he still didn't I knew something was wrong. His legs would slide in front of him and his hips felt "lose." That's the best way I can describe it, lose. The other chicks had tight hip muscles and good contraction, but his were weak and he felt uncomfortable when I touched them. I called our avian vet, but she didn't answer and I was just about to put him down when she called and explained that it's not uncommon for chicks to strain their leg muscles during hatch, and that in a few days he should show improvement. And what do you know, the little bugger made an outstanding effort to stand and walk. He's been slowly improving all throughout the day, and now he can walk, a very clumsy walk though.
I decided to put the eggs in a carton during hatch and I think that's how he hurt himself. When the eggs are laid on their sides, the chicks just fall out of the egg. But when it's vertical in the carton, the chicks have to push themselves out. I think he just pushed too hard and pulled the muscles. Poor baby. Just another thing to keep an eye open for when hatching.
I decided to put the eggs in a carton during hatch and I think that's how he hurt himself. When the eggs are laid on their sides, the chicks just fall out of the egg. But when it's vertical in the carton, the chicks have to push themselves out. I think he just pushed too hard and pulled the muscles. Poor baby. Just another thing to keep an eye open for when hatching.
