Urgent: Just Hatched Chick Struggling and Goop Hardening

[Redhead Rae]

I had to assist a chick in hatching this morning. The thing that had me help was there was goop hardening around the pip and it was making it hard for the chick to breathe. When I started to assist, I found the shell had stuck to the chicks down and the membrane around the air sac had shrink wrapped to the chick. Now the Goop is hardening across its back and neck. It also seems to have some issues with it's legs. It is in distress because it already has a bunch of runny poop caked to its butt. Should I bathe the poor thing and how should I do it?

 

[Bridger Davis]

Yikes! @chickens really @rjohns39 @theoldchick

 

[staceyj]

I don't know nuthin bout birthin no babies!

But in your situation I sure would out of desperation.

Waiting to hear what the experts say.

 

[Redhead Rae]

@casportpony @WVduckchick Do you know anything I can do for this?

 

[chuckachucka]

So it is now fully out of the shell? How long has it been out? Is it 'fluffed up' at all, where there isn't goop, or not? The poop is the priority, the rest of the goop isn't. I would not advise bathing it at this stage because it could make it dangerously cold. Clean the poop with some damp paper towels or cotton wool and let it warm up and rest. After a difficult hatch, it will need time to recover. What kind of leg issues?

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony @WVduckchick Do you know anything I can do for this?

Can you post some pictures?

 

[sourland]

"Expert" - ex (past tense) spurt (little drip under pressure)

I'd try wrapping the chick in moistened paper towels and leaving in the incubator until egg membranes are moistened - then carefully remove making sure chick does not get chilled. 'Helped' chicks frequently have leg problems which may or may not be resolved. Sometimes they are just weakened and sometimes they are congenital and have led to the hatching problems. Be sure to dry the chick and make sure it is kept warm after cleaning. Good luck.

 

[Suzi18]

 

[Redhead Rae]

Can you post some pictures?

Here are are some assist and after assist pictures. I'll take some new ones.

That red tinged goopy stuff across its back has hardened. How should I clean it up?

 

[chuckachucka]

I had an assisted chick once that was very sticky/crusty with dried membranes and I had to wash it in stages. As in I wiped it gently with a warm damp cloth and put it back in the brooder to dry. It was very stubborn stuff so I had to repeat this process a few times, allowing time between for the chick to dry and warm up, before it was completely clean.