Shrink wrapped chick with matted feathers ~ HELP?

[AlienChick]

Okay, so the eggs have all hatched in the bator and chicks removed to brooder.

However, the LAST chick to hatch is an itty bitty Serama that was shrink wrapped.

She is out of the shell and wobbling around, but her feathers are all matted down around one wing and her head/face.

Will she fluff out or should I do something for her??? She is currently still in the incubator.

 

[jm93030]

Quote:
I have helped chicks like this many times

You should go ahead and try to help

just remove some shell all around the chick

also you can dip the egg in warm water to get it moist and flexible

 

[TinyChickenLady]

How long has she been out? It might take her a little longer to fluff out. If she hasn't made progress by tomorrow, I would either lower the humidity in the bator or lightly blow her out with your dryer (be very careful not to burn her).

 

[Ridgerunner]

I helped one like that. It had that gunk on it and did not fluff out. I rinsed it off in warm water, just above incubator temperature, so it could move. But I did not worry about appearances. Quite a bit of down was matted down. I gave that chick to a broody with its hatchmates. She raised it fine. Within less than a week, the gunk was gone and you could not tell which one it was.

It will look different so I would watch to be sure the others are not picking on it, but once it dries out, I'd put it in the brooder and see what happens.

 

[AlienChick]

She's actually dry and she's been out of the shell for 36 hours.
Her feathers are just matted to the point where it looks like she can't move one of her wings.
So I just rinsed her off in warm water and put her back into the bator.
She seems to be moving that stiff wing a little more now.

 

[ca]

Quote:
In my experience the stickiness does not go away until they get new feathers. I use WARM water to clean the chick. Preferably under a heat lamp (since you have your hands on the chick it will not get too hot). Dry with something that soaks up water very well. Then put it back in the bator until all dry. When it's dry the fluff might still be matted a little. I keep gently rubbing the chick which loosens the sticky fluff. They can't keep warm if all the fluff is stuck flat.