chick hatched out early, intestines?

[thebulg]

will this theoretically close up on its own?

 

[Choco Maran]

Why did you handle it when it was still wet? You may have inadvertently let bacteria in to it's system. It may or may not heal now. I would not replace it in the bator, it may bring all kinds of unwanted stuff back in. It is best to leave them a lone until they dry and then help them out if needed.

 

[thebulg]

it had been out for around 6 hours. it's under a hen, not in a bator. i saw a pretty big brown spot by the hen's face and a very bloody egg shell, so when i found the chick, i picked it up to make sure it hadn't been attacked by the mom because there were 14 more eggs to go. and i saw that and grabbed a picture.

it's laying on its side at the hen's back. close to her, but not under her. i haven't touched it since. i don't know where any other chicks are, though i know a few have hatched. i figure since nobody is touching it, laying on its side is probably the best chance it has, so what whatever that is doesn't drag or catch on anything.

 

[Choco Maran]

Sorry thought it was incubator. The other chicks are probably under the hen tuck up safe and sound. Don't know what it is ever but I not think it can be good. Since it hatched early it may not have absorbed all the yolk and now it is to late to finish absorbing it.

 

[thebulg]

i agree, i don't think it's good. i'm not holding out a lot of hope for it. it doesn't appear to be oozing or bleeding, but i can't really see a lot of anything anyway. mom isn't upset, everything is pretty quiet, worse case scenario is it dies i suppose. i would help it if i really thought i could, but all things considered, i think it's probably in the best place. either surrounded by its mama and siblings when it goes or given strength by their presence to heal up and start moving. time will tell!

and yes, the chicks are for sure under mom, but i can't tell where! it's amazing what she can hide in there!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It will heal up. It's the navel. Keep it clean and dry and try to keep anyone from pecking it. You may have to separate it and provide heat. I've had a few like that. Otherwise truck it under mama to keep it warm and hope for the best. It doesn't take long.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm with Sun on this. It should have been tucked back under momma. It's hard to tell from the pic, looks possibly a little herniated. I would have high hopes for it that as long as it didn't get infected it would close fine. Just keep an eye out for the others in case they do peck at it.

Just for the record, I handle my chicks wet from the egg. Often once hatched I check them over and put them back in the incubator and once they are moving and active, regardless of rather they are dry or not, they go to the brooder.

Any update on how it's doing??

 

[thebulg]

it's ok! it isn't getting any worse at all, but it is still very weak and not moving around well but it's having a rough go of things! i put it under the hen and she was moving so much hatching out the other chicks, it ended up not under her. so i picked the chick up hours after this post, blow dried really lightly to get it warmed up and fluffed a little (2 other chicks had hatched since this one and were fluffed and it was still looking just like this) and put it in my sports bra to let it rest and get warm next to me haha! i gave it a little water with some sugar and dissolved chick feed (maybe 10 drops) and i put it back under mama once i saw its eyes opening, and i got it under her nearer to the middle. then an egg exploded under her, so everything had to move. THEN i came in and she had pooped on the nest. it wasn't really her fault, this has been a really hard hatch and she tried so hard not to do it. this little one was asleep with its head on the mound of poop. i wiped its head off, put it back under mama for the 3rd time, and i have since seen it fluff up and walk a little, but it isn't up and moving like the other chicks.

i was able to look at it when it laid in the poop, and the spot already looked smaller, and it certainly wasn't oozing, bleeding, smelly, or odd looking. skin around the area looks good. i think everything will be ok. we have over half of the eggs out--it ended up being a clutch of 14 after the explosion. so tomorrow i expect to really know how the chick is.

this whole hatch has been more exhausting than incubating! oye, broody hen!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Lol, so funny. I have a keet in my sports bra that hatched on Sunday and needs some TLC. Same situation- exposed navel and low energy. We have been doing physical therapy sessions to get her walking strong, then she gets some water with sugar, vitamins, and electrolytes and a few pecks of mash, then nap time. Repeat. My husband thinks I'm a nut job, I'm sure.

 

[thebulg]

Lol, so funny. I have a keet in my sports bra that hatched on Sunday and needs some TLC. Same situation- exposed navel and low energy. We have been doing physical therapy sessions to get her walking strong, then she gets some water with sugar, vitamins, and electrolytes and a few pecks of mash, then nap time. Repeat. My husband thinks I'm a nut job, I'm sure.

i'm so glad i am not the only one!!!!!!! my husband definitely thinks i'm insane. i wanted chickens for years and last year in the spring he very randomly said "i think we should go ahead and get chickens". he wanted 4. we are up to 21 with this hatch, and have turkeys hatching in another week, poop in our walk in shower and chickens in my bra. not what he agreed to hahahahahahaha!!!!!

today is going to be quite the clean up once the eggs finish hatching and mama goes outside with them. oye.