I just hatched a huge number of chicks. 27 for my first time. The first group started on Monday morning and the last one hatched Thursday morning. So this last one was 3 days behind the others. I thought maybe it was weak from just hatching. But now I think there may be something wrong with it. It has a hard time keeping balanced and falls over. Once it's on it's back, it can't get back up. I've noticed that when it is upright, the left side looks different. The left wind droops and almost touches the ground and the left leg looks weak. Every time it falls, it falls to the left. What do I do with this little one? I'm not sure if it's had any food or water. I keep trying to put it's beak in the water and food so that it knows where to find it. But I haven't seen it eat or drink on it's own.
Sorry about the problems you are having with your chick. I would separate him into a different brooder if you are able so he isn't being trampled, make sure he has food and water (put sugar and vitamins in the water), you can supplement with scrambled egg etc if he is interested, and give him a day or two. They can live two or three days without eating right after hatching, and this should give him time to recover if there isn't something else wrong. If he isn't acting more normally, I would probably euthanize him. I've had the occasional chick that hatched well behind the others in an otherwise normal hatch, and about half have had deformities or something wrong with them that is similar to what you describe. Balance problems, can't walk, just not right, just slow. Don't know why they hatched late or took so long to hatch, just figured that in their case whatever their problem is caused or contributed too their late hatching. Some people do say it is from the egg itself being old.
