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TWO DAY OLD CHICK...DOSENT LOOK GOOD. please help.

Discussion in 'Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures' started by newchicksmama, Aug 12, 2013.

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  1. Aug 12, 2013 Post #1 of 3
    newchicksmama

    newchicksmama In the Brooder

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    Jan 19, 2009
    I had a hen that went broody, my friend gave me fertilized eggs, two hatched and two have not.
    Out of the two that have hatched, one is doing very well, walks around, pecks at mama and generally seems healthy.
    It's sibling, though just lays there, eyes closed, and dosent seem to be doing well.
    Any tips or hints I would greatly appreciate, we just have our five backyard ladies. So I'm not an expert here when it comes to chicks,
    They are in a coop by themselves, and cannot be accessed by the other ladies, they have pie plates with water and proper feed in easy access to mom and chicks.
    I've been preparing my daughter that it might not make it, and have not allowed her to go watch them so she won't be more attached than she already is.

    ALSO. How long do I allow mama to continue sitting on the other eggs?
    They were all laid on the same day and we don't know if all were fertilized or not. If these two have hatched, how much longer until I take the other eggs away?
     
  2. Aug 12, 2013 Post #2 of 3
    BantamLover21

    BantamLover21 Crowing

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    Jul 24, 2013
    If it were me, I would take the weak chick away from its mother and try to increase its strength. Keep it in a brooder, maybe even with the other chick to prevent it from becoming lonely. A brooder can be as simple as a plastic tub, bedded with wood shavings, containing feed and water, and having a heat source, such as heat lamp. The temperature in the brooder should be 95 degrees the first week of the chicks life, and then decrease 5 degrees thereafter.

    Give the weak chick vitamins/electrolytes in its water, and possibly some probiotics. Let it rest, but do make sure it eats and drinks by dipping its beak in the water and showing it the food.

    If the chick gets stronger, it can go back with the mother hen. She will probably accept it, as long as it hasn't been away for too long.

    I would take the unhatched eggs out from beneath the mother hen and candle them (shine a bright light into them while in a dark room to see if you can see any movement). If they don't seem viable, get rid of the eggs, and try to discourage mother hen from sitting any longer.

    Hope I've helped! If you have any other questions, just ask.
     
  3. Aug 12, 2013 Post #3 of 3
    newchicksmama

    newchicksmama In the Brooder

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    Jan 19, 2009
    Thank you for your tips!
    I did go out there with a ml dropper and see if maybe it just needed some water....it "guzzled" that tiny bit of water like you wouldn't believe.
    So maybe it just needed the extra bit of attention.
    The mama is doing a great job from what I can tell.
    And I did go snag the other two eggs and "candle" them in my bathroom with a flashlight, one I could see straight through, the other one was solid black and I couldn't get any light through. So I tossed the one I could see through and replaced the black one.
    Hopefully with a bit of extra attention it will perk up. If not, then at least I tried and maybe the last one will hatch soon.
     

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