washing new chicks?

[ki4got]

I've got a couple chicks that were shrink wrapped, and are almost glazed looking now, with hard crusty goo all over them.

my question is, can i wash them? and if so just warm water or soap or???

i think i'm going to have to soak one of them a bit, as he was literally glued to the shell and so still has bits of shell and membrane stuck on. but otherwise seems to be doing just fine.

the other i'm holding off on doing anything right now, as he managed to bust out of the shell, even tho he was glued in, and still has a small pea-sized bit of yolk still outside. talk about determination. i think he'll get a bath once the yolk is sucked in. but for now he's wrapped in a paper towel to limit the movement some, to prevent any damage to the yolk. had one hatch out early yesterday with the same thing, but he busted the yolk while running around the incubator and died. just crossing fingers for this little guy... but i don't hold my breath.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you do decide to clean them off, I would suggest using only warm, clear water - no soap. Have they dried off yet? Could be that the shell pieces will come off eventually if you just leave them alone...

 

[ki4got]

he's dried and has NO fluff, more like someone dunked him in glue and let it dry.

both of them actually... and they were both very wet hatches. i don't think they lost enough moisture during incubation. not enough to drown, but enough to cause issues.