Is It Intestines or Umbilical Cord?

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ChickenKeeper16

ChickenKeeper16

Hatching
7 Years
Oct 19, 2012
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I had a chick hatch last night. It looked like the intestines were outside of it's body. I've been trying to keep it wet so it won't dry out, but it was really dry this morning, and the chick was walking around in the incubator like nothing was wrong. I noticed that I don't see a heart beating, so is it his intestines? Or is it his umbilical cord? Should I just let it dry up and fall off? His stomach isn't sunken in, and he acts like he doesn't notice me touching it. I looked at how it was attached to his abdomen, and it looks like it could be an umbilical cord. But then why isn't it just one long strand? Why did it have a big chunk on it that looked like intestines? I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions on what to do.
 
I'm new to this also but I don't think chicks have umbilical cords. Weird.
hu.gif
 
I thought they had an umbilical cord that attached to the membrane of the egg, that's why you can't help them hatch, because if you rip the membrane, it could do big damage. Only the chick can break it, but this chick hatched early.
 
Can you get a picture? It could be the yolk sac. Does it look like this?

19636_100_9830.jpg


This is an unabsorbed yolk sac. (I found the picture here on BYC, by the way :) ) And here's another thread on unabsorbed yolk sacs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/469499/help-with-an-unabsorbed-yolk-sac

ETA- From what I've read, they have vanes going throughout the egg. I believe those dry out and detach from the chick, so the chick can hatch. I do not think they have umbilical cords, but I could be wrong.
 
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welcome-byc.gif


Chicks don't have umbilical cords as we know it, but they do have some connection to the membrane in the egg and the yolk sac etc. Sometimes if they hatch a bit quick or soon there will be a bit of the connecting tissue stuck to it's navel. It will come off by itself after a day or 2.

If there is intestines hanging out of it's butt, the chick had prolapse and unfortunately there is not much you can do about it. Hopefully that is not the case with your chick!

Note on prolapse: it's a genetic trait and a hen who's eggs produced even one chick with prolapse should not be used for breeding.
 
It says that I don't have permission to upload a pic. Do you know how I can get permission? The thing hanging from the chick is about an inch or inch and a half long. It's really dry now, but I don't know if I should like it dry up. He's acted normal right from the start.
No, he doesn't look like that chick in the picture. It's red, now dark red. His abdomen isn't swollen...I just don't know.
 
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Is it hanging from his bum or lower down towards his legs?
 
ChickenKeeper16 said:
It says that I don't have permission to upload a pic. Do you know how I can get permission? The thing hanging from the chick is about an inch or inch and a half long. It's really dry now, but I don't know if I should like it dry up. He's acted normal right from the start.
No, he doesn't look like that chick in the picture. It's red, now dark red. His abdomen isn't swollen...I just don't know.
Click to expand...
You should be able to upload a pic. Have a look here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/inserting-pics-in-on-the-new-byc
 


Here it is. That was taken just about two hours ago. Does it maybe have something to do with the breed? I saw something like this and it said it was an Ameraucana, the daddy of this one was an Araucana, and the mama's a Rode Island Red.
(Thanks Sumi for showing me how to attach a picture)
 
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