It's hard to see, but it ooks like unabsorbed yolk to me, in which case the est thing to do is to leave him in the shell and hope he stays there until it is absorbed. If he hatches out and that is indeed yolk the chances of him rupturing it and dying are greater. I, personally, do not ever recommended tying off unabsorbed yolk with the exception of if it ruptures and then the chances are already low of survival, so ....I have duckling that has hatched almost completely, but is still attached at the bottom of the shell. Some of my others had a hard time dropping the bottom of the shell, but we're only attached by thin cords that I was able to snip off. What can I do for this little guy? Tie it off? I have him sitting in the bottom of the egg now wrapped up in a blanket to try and keep him pushing it off.
Ok, that does look more like a herniated navel, still open. I would put an antibitic cream (w/no pain killer in it) on it and keep an eye on him.
If you can free him from the "goop" and clean the navel so it doesn't get infected, that would probably be best.
Thanks!
A lot of what appears to be the intestines has receeded. I kept him wrapped up and on his back with his butt elevated...hoping gravity may help a little...guess that's the neonatal ICU nurse instincts
