My classroom has eggs in an incubator. The first one hatched this morning and another one just hatched. More are about to hatch. We are pretty sure the first one is either premature or a runt. It is smaller than the other one and it's unbilical cord didn't come off when it hatched. We transferred it to a seperate place. it doesn't move much and has a little trouble breathing. We don't want to touch it for fear it might get hurt. My question is: will it live and what should we feed it? please post soon.

~Emma

It needs heat. 95 degrees F, water and food. Don't pull the umbilical cord. If it bothers you or gets dried onto something cut it. If you pull on the chick its insides can come out. You should have obtained some chick starter from a local feed store. Do you have a heated brooder ready to put the hatched chicks into? Food isn't important for the first 2 days, but it is best to get the chicks eating from day one. Feed stores can sell you the type of chick waterers that you should already have. Don't use a bowl of water for chicks and if you do use a bowl, put rocks or marbles in the bowl and only around a quarter inch of water above the marbles. Chicks can get too wet and drown in a bowl.

You can warm a box with a lightbulb, but the box can't be too small because you can cook the chicks. Use a box that is big enough so that the chicks can move away from the lightbulb if it gets too hot. Keep the box out of drafts.

Some chicks just don't make it. You will know in 5-7 days.

well I haven't been able to get back for a while, but if anyone is wondering, the chick didn't make it. :(