Urgent: Just Hatched Chick Struggling and Goop Hardening

[Redhead Rae]

This one and the black one are the only hatchers so far.

 

[aart]

This one and the black one are the only hatchers so far.

Well, 2 chicks is more than twice as good as one

 

[Redhead Rae]

Well, 2 chicks is more than twice as good as one

Definitely! I was really worried about having a lone chick. If it were even a month later, it wouldn't be such an issue, but I probably couldn't find <1 week old chicks as buddies this time of year for love or money.

 

[casportpony]

Remember the green stuff you picked off? I think that was your chick's first poo, which sometimes they do while still in the shell. This is a normal first poo:

 

[Redhead Rae]

Remember the green stuff you picked off? I think that was your chick's first poo, which sometimes they do while still in the shell. This is a normal first poo:
View attachment 1214272

That is what the poo looked like on the paper towel.

 

[Pyxis]

Remember the green stuff you picked off? I think that was your chick's first poo, which sometimes they do while still in the shell. This is a normal first poo:
View attachment 1214272

I hope it was this Really don't want the little one to have an infected yolk sac, and it sounds like it's doing better which is great

 

[Redhead Rae]

Here's an update. I named the yellow chick "Chicken Surprise" because it wasn't supposed to be there. The eggs I intended to hatch were from my New Hampshire roo over Dominique and Dominique cross hens to get BSL babies. One of my main flock eggs must have gotten mixed in with my hatching eggs. This chick at least half BO since my roosters are a BO and a Black Cochin. This chick obviously doesn't have any Black Cochin ancestry. Candidates for mother's breed are BO, New Hampshire, Delaware or MAYBE a leghorn cross (though none of my leghorn crosses produce eggs that look like this egg did to my knowledge).

So Chicken Surprise is doing well and is looking more alert and spunky, if a little ragged.

The first chick to hatch is now 2 days old and is a spunky, pushy, bossy little pullet. She is really friendly and comes running when people come to look at them. She willingly jumps into peoples' hands!

We also now have two little cockerels who hatched yesterday evening.

And we have 2 more eggs that are trying to hatch.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I'm getting a little concerned about Chicken Surprise. Three times now, I've come in to find the CS on its back looking distressed. I pick CS up and set it on its feet and it perks right up and all signs of distress disappear. I think it is a balance and coordination problem. CS balance seems to be weaker than the other chicks and CS can't right itself as easily and gets stuck on its back. I know getting stuck on its back can be deadly to grown chickens. Is it bad for chicks as well?

 

[WVduckchick]

I'm honestly not sure, but it always scares me too. Got any Nutridrench?

 

[Redhead Rae]

I'm honestly not sure, but it always scares me too. Got any Nutridrench?

Unfortunately not. I doubt it will be something that Walmart carries (I'm going to go late night Christmas shopping after I get the milk drinker to bed). I might make DH run to TSC tomorrow while I work.