This is going to turn out badly, isn't it? [Egg hatching]

[Pandapop]

I didn't use soap, no. Just warm water, and gently dipped them in. I figured soap wouldn't be safe? I'm also afraid of hurting them, so scrubbing was out of the question.

I wish I could take better pictures, but all I have right now is a tablet.

They aren't wet at all right now.

 

[Kiki]

I would leave them be for now.
Dawn dish soap is supposed to be safe but I think it's just bad to wash new little bitty babies.

 

[Pandapop]

Will do. They look a bit better today, actually. I think all that rolling around in the new bedding helped.

I lost a chick, though. Woke up to find it lifeless in the corner... it was one of the ones on the smaller side. I guess that was to be expected, but it's disappointing nonetheless... poor little runt.

 

[Kiki]

Will do. They look a bit better today, actually. I think all that rolling around in the new bedding helped.

I lost a chick, though. Woke up to find it lifeless in the corner... it was one of the ones on the smaller side. I guess that was to be expected, but it's disappointing nonetheless... poor little runt.

Have you tried wetting a small amount of feed and watch them for a while to make sure they are all eating?

 

[Fishkeeper]

As long as they're warm enough, the feathers shouldn't be an issue. If you're really worried, gently brushing them with a clean toothbrush might unmat the feathers. Plus, they might like it!

 

[Pandapop]

I actually tried using a toothbrush! We had an extra one under the sink, so I grabbed it and tried to brush them. They uh... they didn't like that, haha. So I had to stop. Didn't want to stress them out any further.

I've processed their food to the point where it's almost like a fine powder. I've definitely seen all of them eat, and all of them drink (I sit and watch them for a while every day). The one that passed was very small compared to the rest of its siblings, and generally seemed weaker...

 

[Fishkeeper]

If they're eating, drinking, pooping, warm, and not totally coated in something foreign, they should do fine.
The one that passed was probably never meant to last. Every sufficiently large batch of babies, no matter the species, will have a few that have some defect or another and can't survive.