Update.... spraddle legs I guess....

[zowieyellowflame]

I had 40 eggs in the bator, screwed up the incubator, had many die in the shell, die after pipping and 3 died after being born. I still managed to get 8 healthy ones and 2 messed up ones.
I have the messed up ones still in the bator, they are always trying to walk and then they fall over onto their back and kind of shake. They get stuck like that. When I right them, they seem like their head is too heavy and they usually keep their beak on the floor or close to it. They can lift their head, but only for a short while. I have been putting sugar water on my finger and they do take it. I suspect these chicks are close to a day old. I don't mind waiting until tomorrow and I don't mind culling them if that is what needs to happen. Has anyone seen this? It seems like too, with my first born, he also did a bit of this, seemed to get better and then died. (all in 24 hrs) Any thoughts?
Right now, they are both sleeping, on their backs. Every now and then their feet twitch.

 

[Barnyard]

It can take 24 hours or more for a chick to be able to get his barring's!! I would wait awhile longer and see what happens. I have had RIR chicks hatch like this. There heads seem heavier than they can hold up, but within a couple of day's they are up and doing good. Hang in there and see what happens. GOODLUCK



ETA: You can leave the chicks in the bator for about 36 hours with no issues. They are still living off of there yolk.

 

[annanicole18]

thats kinda what my only piped chick did and now i'm happy to say hes a week old and doing terrific. but if you don't have time to pamper them then i would prolly cull because mine needed a lot of pampering

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I can pamper, I have 4 days off of work! Woo hoo! Aside from being away for a few hrs here and there, i will be home. What do I do to pamper? Could they have a disease that could affect the others? Everytime I go between the healthy and these 2, I scrub my hands. Is that unnecessary?
It is so weird how I try to hatch and have such a low success, while my 2 broodys have been successful with every single egg that pipped. Goes to show......

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Could this be sprautle leg?

 

[skyisfalling]

they are just trying to get their barrings...calm down and just be patient they will be fine....

 

[jessica117]

Do a search for "wry neck." I would still isolate just to be safe until you are sure that is what it is. I have heard of many people that have chicks recover from this. I have only had one chick with this and unfortunately he didn't make it.

Here is a link to my post when I had the problem.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=201647

 

[zowieyellowflame]

I looked up spraddle leg, did the bandaid thing and within minutes they were standing up. They can also hobble around the bator, they fall, but they seem to get up on their own most of the time.
I am making a cooked egg yoke, I will mix it with water and see if they want some of that.
They look like they need nutrition because sometimes one will fall onto its back and just lay there like it is going to die, but then it doesnt. Anyways, I will just keep pampering. Speaking of which, when I picked up one to put the bandaid on, I had to return to the computer to consult the pics. I nestled little chick near my collar bone on my shirt. Oh, how content he was! chir.... chir.... chirrrr.

 

[patyrdz]

Oh that is wonderful! I am so glad they are better! Congratulations!!

 

[Barnyard]

WOOHOO!! Glad they are doing better.