Help please!

[krista74]

I am so worried about my little chick, and it's all my fault.

We moved them today (with their Momma Hen) into a bigger pen, and whilst doing so I came across one chick which had what I thought was poop hanging out of it's butt.

Trying to be a good chicken owner I thought I should clean the poop off, so I gently picked up the chick and tried to pull it off his butt, at which point the chickie chirped like mad and I suddenly realised it was not poop after all.

I feel so bad that I may have hurt the chick, and still have no idea what is hanging from it's butt. It is sort of dried up, browny looking crusty stuff, hanging in a 1 cm 'string.'

Any ideas what it was/is, and if I could have done any permanent damage to the chick?

I am beside myself with worry.....

Krista

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

It sounds like you have tried remove the chicks umbilical cord. The umbilical is attached to navel, its were they absorb the yolk sac before hatching. Sometimes when they hatch it dosnt always come off straight away and just dries up and falls off on its own. I would try to check the chick again to make sure it hasn't pulled any of its abdomen through the navel. If it has just try to keep the area clean and dry ther is not a lot else you can do.
Try not to beat yourself up about this we all make mistakes i know I have, it's how we all live and learn

 

[krista74]

No, all I can see is the brown cord.

There is nothing protruding from the cord, or where it joins the body.

The chick came out with the other 5 to eat, and whilst he is quieter than the others, I believe he is also a day younger too. He hatched overnight, whilst three of the others hatched yesterday morning.

So you think he will be ok? As long as it dries up and falls away, and there is nothing protruding, he will be alright?

Krista

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes from what you have described I think it will be fine. If there is nothing coming out of its navel apart from the cord it will drop off by itself. Ive had them hatch in the incubator with the shell still attached to the cord as well, they drag it about a bit till it dries the shell falls off then they are left with the little cord then that eventually dries and falls off too.
Try not to panic I'm sure it will be fine.

 

[krista74]

Thankyou!

It is my first hatch where I actually got more than 1 chick, so I am extra nervous! I'm just going to leave it to Momma Hen to look after him I think.

I guess if he sees out the next couple of days we can assume he will be ok?

Thanks once again for taking the time to reply.

Krista

 

[spotsplus]

No, all I can see is the brown cord.

There is nothing protruding from the cord, or where it joins the body.

The chick came out with the other 5 to eat, and whilst he is quieter than the others, I believe he is also a day younger too. He hatched overnight, whilst three of the others hatched yesterday morning.

So you think he will be ok? As long as it dries up and falls away, and there is nothing protruding, he will be alright?

Krista

I think as long as it looks dry and nothing else is seen except the cord, the chick will be fine. I've had a chick or two that held onto their cord for a day or two after but it eventually fell off.

 

[krista74]

I have some sad news.

This morning I went out to the coop and Momma hen had the little chick under her wing trying to love it, but he had passed away.

I am very sad as he was my favourite from the hatch. He was much smaller than the others, the under-dog, and I thought he was lovely.

I took him from his Momma and she quickly busied herself with the other 5 chicks. I think she is ok.

I had a good look at him before I buried him, and his little belly was all swollen and blue. He smelled really bad too. His umbilical cord was still attached, but there was nothing else 'protruding' from it. I don't know what went wrong.

I have put him under a tree in our backyard to rest.

Just in case, I also changed out the bedding in the nest. He may have been sick I guess, and I don't want the others to get sick too.

I hope they stay happy and vibrant.

Krista

 

[theoldchick]

Sorry for your loss. Hopefully the rest of your brood will do well.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Sorry to hear about your chick
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mushy-chick-disease-yolk-sack-infection-omphalitis
From what you have described it sounds like he had mushy chick disease, the above link is a good article on it.
Good luck with the rest of your brood.

 

[krista74]

Thank you both for your replies.

Yes, that does sound like what my little guy had.

So sad for him that he didn't get a chance to live a happy life.

I guess at least his Momma loved him, as did I.

Krista