3-day chick with possible "rough navel" - Picture Added

[MamaSteph]

We just received our first chicks ever yesterday, from a March 2nd hatch at Meyer. All 15 of them have been getting on great until this afternoon, when I checked on them and found one laying down, eyes shut, not really responsive. She won't open her eyes, eat, or drink.

I checked her and thought she had pasty butt, so I was wiping and trying to get it off until I realized that her vent was fine, that it was something else that looked bad on her belly/underside. A search online led me to believe that it's a rough navel, but I don't know how bad it is, if it's fixable, or what to do to treat it.

There's no bleeding, her poop looks normal to me, maybe on the runny side. I've separated her from the rest of the chicks in the brooder into a small box with her own food and water.

Thank you for your help!

 

[ruth]

New chicks all have a navel. It can be anything from a small dry bump to a large red bulb. The later tend to be the ones that may have a problem because it can bleed. You can apply iodine to help it dry up but normally you don't have to do anything to their navels.

It sounds more like the poor little chick is just too stressed/tired from shipping. Try getting some Poly-Vi-Sol drops directly in her beak - two drops. Poly-Vi-Sol is by Enfamil and is a baby liquid vitamin supplement.

 

[MamaSteph]

Ruth, thank you so much for the quick reply. The umbilicus is not just a bump. It seems to have a slit down the middle. Also, this chick did not seem stressed, lethargic, or otherwise sick until this afternoon, which would make me think it's not from shipping.

 

[MamaSteph]

I was finally able to add a picture, not sure how much it helps though. It was hard to get a good clear shot with my point & shoot. Am going to the store in a bit for some Poly-Vi-Sol and Betadine.

 

[MamaSteph]

Well, she's gone. I was mixing the vitamins into her water, but I guess I wasn't fast enough.

Thanks again for your help, Ruth.

 

[ruth]

I'm so sorry to hear it. Sometimes the yolk doesn't fully absorb and the navel isn't closed properly and there isn't anything you could have done. They are pretty fragile that first couple of days and shipping doesn't help but I've lost some that were hatched right here due to "navel issues".