Hour-old chick with protrusion. Omphalitis? Hernia?

[Bicoastal]

I awoke to a newly hatched chick with an orange-colored protrusion near its vent. I’d guess it hatched within the past hour. The protrusion is the exact same color as it’s legs, irregularly shaped, appears moist and soft but not wet or runny (holds a shape).

Is this Omphalitis? A hernia?

Baby is moving around fine. Other chicks are fine. Two more eggs to go that are pipped and not yet hatched. Haven’t opened the incubator.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's alittle bit of unabsorbed yolk.

 

[Bicoastal]

It is yolk?! It is the same orange color as the legs and seems firm. Will bleed if pecked.

It’s been about six hours with no change.

Does unabsorbed yolk fall off without being a problem? Will it be absorbed?

I haven’t opened the lid, so my observations are limited to what I can see as it moves around. Still two eggs pipped that I’m waiting on.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It is yolk?! It is the same orange color as the legs and seems firm. Will bleed if pecked.

It’s been about six hours with no change.

Does unabsorbed yolk fall off without being a problem? Will it be absorbed?

I haven’t opened the lid, so my observations are limited to what I can see as it moves around. Still two eggs pipped that I’m waiting on.

Yes, that's yolk. It'll dry up, & fall off.

 

[Bicoastal]

I think it looks worse this morning. Keet is in a clean incubator by itself because the others peck it bloody.

Do I set up a separate brooder space? Do I apply anything to the protrusion?


In reading up, what’s the difference between harmless unabsorbed yolk and fatal omphalitis? In some literature, the different phrases are used synonymously.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I think it looks worse this morning. Keet is in a clean incubator by itself because the others peck it bloody.

Do I set up a separate brooder space? Do I apply anything to the protrusion?


In reading up, what’s the difference between harmless unabsorbed yolk and fatal omphalitis? In some literature, the different phrases are used synonymously.

Looks fine too me, just starting to dry out.
You can try staining it blue with some food dye to discourage the picking.

 

[Bicoastal]

Thank you for your reassurance. I’ve set up a separate brooder for it. I know it isn’t ideal to be alone, so we’ll see how it does.

 

[Bicoastal]

Little one died overnight.

 

[Heart1111]

I hatched keets
Yes the old say ‘ egg each other on’
They hatch hearing others as they hatch
Sometimes they need to stay in egg a little longer
I’ve had one hatcher with the same tiny yolk sac
Not ready yet
They should not be disturbed in incubation after hatch
Allow longer for
It to absorb
Otherwise they fail to thrive
I can tell as the can’t thermoregulate from incubation to brooder light

 

[Bicoastal]

I hatched keets
Yes the old say ‘ egg each other on’
They hatch hearing others as they hatch
Sometimes they need to stay in egg a little longer
I’ve had one hatcher with the same tiny yolk sac
Not ready yet
They should not be disturbed in incubation after hatch
Allow longer for
It to absorb
Otherwise they fail to thrive
I can tell as the can’t thermoregulate from incubation to brooder light

The one that had (likely) omphalitis was not an assisted hatch. It remained in incubator for at least two days. I don’t remember exactly now. Then I put it in a separate incubator with food and water.

It’s hatch was as quick as all the others. So I guess the problem was a dirty egg? I don’t wash my eggs but I collect them 2 or 3 times a day. I don’t bother with dirty eggs. So all my eggs start pretty darn clean.

I’d love to learn what went wrong so I can prevent it in the future. But I really don’t know what to change. It was a quick and normal hatch. Shrug.