Chick with umbilical cord? Advice please... (I'm a newbie)

[Aumlet]

She keeps laying on her back and kicking her legs like she's trying to get up.... Will she be able to get up by herself soon? Anything I should do for her to help her?

Give her time. I had a chick hatch out this weekend and I was SURE she wasn't going to make it. This chick had bled while pipping, was shrink-wrapped enough that I had to help it out, and still had what must have been unabsorbed yolk and was attached to the shell by a cord. I got her out but left the part of the shell she was attached to with her in the incubator. Eventually she was free of it, but doing what you describe - flopping on her back and kicking but not able to stay on her stomach. I gave her a few drops of electrolyte water with my finger tips and went to bed, figuring she wouldn't be alive in the morning. I woke up in the middle of the night, and checked on her. She was on her belly, and crawled into my hand when I changed the paper towel. I was amazed! It took her at least a day to become steady on her feet, but 3 days after the hatch she was as fast as the two others who hatched without trauma.

I hope your chick has a similar outcome.

 

[InsaneChicken]

Give her time. I had a chick hatch out this weekend and I was SURE she wasn't going to make it. This chick had bled while pipping, was shrink-wrapped enough that I had to help it out, and still had what must have been unabsorbed yolk and was attached to the shell by a cord. I got her out but left the part of the shell she was attached to with her in the incubator. Eventually she was free of it, but doing what you describe - flopping on her back and kicking but not able to stay on her stomach. I gave her a few drops of electrolyte water with my finger tips and went to bed, figuring she wouldn't be alive in the morning. I woke up in the middle of the night, and checked on her. She was on her belly, and crawled into my hand when I changed the paper towel. I was amazed! It took her at least a day to become steady on her feet, but 3 days after the hatch she was as fast as the two others who hatched without trauma.

I hope your chick has a similar outcome.

Thanks.. I'm hoping she'll make it. She sleeps but then she tries to get on her feet and can't. I don't have any electrolyte water though. Guess time is the key here. >.<

 

[InsaneChicken]

Right now she is sleeping/chirping in my hands. I gave her a little sugar water and she drank it. she looks and is acting better than she was this morning.

 

[DirtCreature]

Right now she is sleeping/chirping in my hands. I gave her a little sugar water and she drank it. she looks and is acting better than she was this morning.

good! im glad to hear that.

 

[gatorridgechics]

This may be a dumb question but where is the umbilical cord? I had one hatch today that is having a hard time. And to describe it as delicate as I can it looks like ...... If it's butt was a humans belly button it would be an outtey. He/she hatched around 4 and has been all over the incubator but has finally came to rest on a soft cloth I laid down for him. A few minutes ago I saw him flapping his wings. Any ideas?

 

[silkiesnOTTBs]

Take a q tip dipped in iodine and rub it on the chicks belly button. This will help it dry out without having to cut it. I like this way better than cutting. Unless you have sterile scissors you run the risk of introducing bacteria to the chick that could cause it to get sick. Iodine keeps it all contained and closed up

 

[silkiesnOTTBs]

All animals can get an outty belly button just like humans

 

[InsaneChicken]

I'm still kinda worried about my chick. But she seems to be doing somewhat better today. She's on her belly and stands up occasionally and waddles. But she's not quite walking yet. She's taken a few more drops of water but she's mostly sleeping/chirping away in her cage. I put her in a cage with a silkie mix that hatched yesterday and she does a good job of snuggling up with her... Almost acts like a little sister. :b Here is a picture of them.

 

[Aumlet]

As long as she's making progress, that's good! My chick spent at least a day seeming less able than the other chicks hatched at the same time, but a few days later she was just as quick on her feet as the others.

 

[InsaneChicken]

She seems to like me. She gets noisy when I leave her in the cage but when I'm just sitting around not doing much I pick her up and wrap her in one of my t-shirts to keep her warm and she gets quiet and sleeps. She is definitely a loud bird.