Chick with unabsorbed yolk and maybe intestines hanging out, please help!! *graphic photos*

[KittyCat13]

Hi, I had a chick hatch late last night that really isn't looking great. There was a lot of liquid when it hatched and the yolk and some pink tube bits (look like intestines.

It was still attached to the egg for a while bit pulled free. I tried to get it to sit upright, but my incubator is only small and cups were either too tall to fit or so small that the chick could escape from them, so in the end O just put down clean paper towels and left it overnight.

I've come down this morning and it's still alive, and pretty noisy! The yolk looks like it has absorbed now but the intestines bit is still there, I've highlighted the bit I'm most worried about. I really don't know what to do, it seems quite bright, but the bits on the outside look awful, would it be kinder to euthanise?

 

[RowanTheRed]

That does indeed look like intestine hanging out. I hate to say it, but i don't think this chick is too make it. With intestine heading out, there is not only an increased risk of infection, but also a LOT of fluid and electrolyte loss happening.

This is not too uncommon in developing human babies, especially here in the southern states. We see it many times a year in the NICU I work in. It's called gastroschisis. For babies it is a surgical issue that in most cases requires a silo to be attached to the abdominal wall and the bowel slowly introduced back into the body over several days.

 

[KittyCat13]

That does indeed look like intestine hanging out. I hate to say it, but i don't think this chick is too make it. With intestine heading out, there is not only an increased risk of infection, but also a LOT of fluid and electrolyte loss happening.

This is not too uncommon in developing human babies, especially here in the southern states. We see it many times a year in the NICU I work in. It's called gastroschisis. For babies it is a surgical issue that in most cases requires a silo to be attached to the abdominal wall and the bowel slowly introduced back into the body over several days.

Thank you for your reply, it doesn't look great does it I've read about people managing to push similar things back in with chicks, with varying levels of sucess, but I'm not sure that's something I could do.

Poor little chick, I wish I could help it, but I don't want it to suffer

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Has any of that retracted or been absorbed? How long has it been?

 

[KittyCat13]

Has any of that retracted or been absorbed? How long has it been?

About 17 hours now, the dark bit was a lot bigger amd has shrunk but the pink intestine looking bit it the same.

 

[KittyCat13]

That's it right now

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the updated photo.

Hopefully someone like @granny hatchet @Pyxis and @BantyChooks will chime in.

I will give you my opinion, sadly I do not think there is any hope for this little one. I would cull and end any suffering that she may be experiencing. It's always a difficult decision to make.

 

[Pyxis]

That does not look good Intestines out like that isn't something the chick can survive unless it's corrected, and it would probably take a surgery to correct it. I too would cull if it were my chick. Very sorry

 

[BantyChooks]

I've seen cases like this corrected, but it looks like tissue has started dying. I would cull. I'm sorry.

 

[KittyCat13]

Thank you, I suspected as much to be honest, it's very small compared to the others that hatched.

I haven't culled a chick before, what is the best way to go about it? I've read about using vinegar and bicarb to create CO2, is that a humane way to do it?