Help! hatched chick with blood sac attached for a while is struggling

[Bwies]

Okay, I dont blame you to be honest. It may possibly be the kindest thing to do, and if you decide on it, there are gentle methods that arent so graphic, if thats what is putting you off. @WVduckchick do you know of the ether method? I don't know the details.

I'm just curious first, as to how large the yolk was, and how the naval area looks now. The main threat is the nutrient source being gone, and infection setting in. If you wanted to try and save this baby, those are the two things that need to be addr

 

[Bwies]

Here is the best pic I could get. She is moving around better than earlier so I'm still monitoring. The yolk sac broke last night and I took her out first thing this morning.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Here is the best pic I could get. She is moving around better than earlier so I'm still monitoring. The yolk sac broke last night and I took her out first thing this morning.

Do you know how large the sac was? How much yolk was lost?
The photo doesnt look too bad to me, in that it seems the naval is healing...
I'd still be worried about infection etc though.

How is she acting, when you say moving, is she walking, drinking?
If she were mine I think I'd give her a chance. Do you have any nutri drench? I'd want to add some to her water and encourage her to drink some.

 

[Bwies]

Do you know how large the sac was? How much yolk was lost?
The photo doesnt look too bad to me, in that it seems the naval is healing...
I'd still be worried about infection etc though.

How is she acting, when you say moving, is she walking, drinking?
If she were mine I think I'd give her a chance. Do you have any nutri drench? I'd want to add some to her water and encourage her to drink some.

I'm not sure how big the yolk sac was because the blood sac was hiding it and I didn't realize it had broken open until she was flopping around and a trail of yolk following her. It looks A LOT better than it did this morning and she is quickly moving around when I put her down and she runs around and then back under the heater. I did try to get her to drink and she wouldn't but she did grab a couple pieces of food I put on the paper towel for her. The fact that she's moving around quickly is so much better than this morning when she was still stumbling around. It's my son's Birthday and I promised to take him to eat so we'll do that and then spend some time with her when we get home to try and get her to eat and drink more.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I'm not sure how big the yolk sac was because the blood sac was hiding it and I didn't realize it had broken open until she was flopping around and a trail of yolk following her. It looks A LOT better than it did this morning and she is quickly moving around when I put her down and she runs around and then back under the heater. I did try to get her to drink and she wouldn't but she did grab a couple pieces of food I put on the paper towel for her. The fact that she's moving around quickly is so much better than this morning when she was still stumbling around. It's my son's Birthday and I promised to take him to eat so we'll do that and then spend some time with her when we get home to try and get her to eat and drink more.

Awh, hope he has a good birthday!

What do you mean by blood sac by the way? That isn't a term I've heard used before really.
Do you mean hatching debris, blood vessels, or?

To encourage the chick to drink, dip the very tip of her beak in the water. Of course don't submerge her nares. I'd add nutri drench to the water if you have some. You could also try to feed her yolk mixed with water, or sugar water. Just anything to get her energy up a little.

Keep me updated if you can, my belief in situations like this is "prepare for the worst but hope for the best". Currently I'm sure she isn't suffering, so I'd see how she goes. But its of course up to you and what you feel most comfortable with.

 

[WVduckchick]

Awh, hope he has a good birthday!

What do you mean by blood sac by the way? That isn't a term I've heard used before really.
Do you mean hatching debris, blood vessels, or?

To encourage the chick to drink, dip the very tip of her beak in the water. Of course don't submerge her nares. I'd add nutri drench to the water if you have some. You could also try to feed her yolk mixed with water, or sugar water. Just anything to get her energy up a little.

Keep me updated if you can, my belief in situations like this is "prepare for the worst but hope for the best". Currently I'm sure she isn't suffering, so I'd see how she goes. But its of course up to you and what you feel most comfortable with.

I agree, from the pic it doesn’t look too awful, and maybe what you saw was just hatching gunk that is leftover sometimes. I’d give it some time, unless it appears to be obviously struggling. Vitamins would be beneficial. I prefer NutriDrench.

Spoiler: Ether method

The ether method I use is done with a small airtight container (I use old plastic coffee containers, but even a butter bowl will work). Get a can of car started fluid, make sure it’s the kind that contains ether. Do this outside! Spray a paper towel with some of the ether, put the baby in the towel, and put it all down in the container. Spray generously, but careful you don’t inhale any fumes yourself. Put the lid on and the chick will be put to sleep, then die quickly and painlessly in its sleep. I’ve also used this method with larger roosters that I cannot give away, using a 5-gallon bucket. No method of culling is perfect, there are other humane methods, I just find this to be the least brutal on myself, and less chance of the bird suffering any more than necessary.

 

[BelovedBirds]

The above post is very informative on a humane non graphic method of euthanasia, incase the chick takes a bad turn and you decide on it, theres an option there

How is the baby doing today? Did you manage to get her to drink?

 

[Bwies]

The above post is very informative on a humane non graphic method of euthanasia, incase the chick takes a bad turn and you decide on it, theres an option there

How is the baby doing today? Did you manage to get her to drink?

The baby is doing pretty good today. She's running around with the other 3 in and out from under the brooder heater. As of now I think she's going to be alright. I will continue to spend time with her to make sure her condition doesn't change. Her stomach still feels funny and she's slightly smaller than the others but hoping she is just taking a little extra time to get stronger.

 

[Bwies]

The baby is doing pretty good today. She's running around with the other 3 in and out from under the brooder heater. As of now I think she's going to be alright. I will continue to spend time with her to make sure her condition doesn't change. Her stomach still feels funny and she's slightly smaller than the others but hoping she is just taking a little extra time to get stronger.

The above post is very informative on a humane non graphic method of euthanasia, incase the chick takes a bad turn and you decide on it, theres an option there

How is the baby doing today? Did you manage to get her to drink?

I appreciate all your help! Hmm, you asked about the blood sac, it was quite big dragging behind her and looked like blood. It dried up and fell off. I do have vitamins in the water to help.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I appreciate all your help! Hmm, you asked about the blood sac, it was quite big dragging behind her and looked like blood. It dried up and fell off. I do have vitamins in the water to help.

That's good. That sounds like hatching debris, which can consist of dried up blood and gunk from inside the egg
I have my fingers crossed for the little one!
The vitamins in the water will definitely help. Has she had anything to eat/drink yet?