Something attached to butt

[Mia1023]

My Dominique’s just hatched and it’s my first time hatching chickens. I’ve hatched quail before but have never had this happen. I think the umbilical cord is still attached on two of them. One of them has it hanging out it’s butt and the other has it hanging out and attached to the egg. They haven’t even been hatched for a full 24 hours but is this hurting them? Will it come off on its own or should I remove when I take them out of the incubator? There’s also a little bit of dried blood on the paper towels I placed but i don’t know if it’s from them or not?

 

[Coops Dad]

You're correct, those are their umbilical cords. If the others are pecking at them or tugging on them, you can clip them off close to the body as long as they're dry. They'll separate and drop off in the next day or two if you just leave them, though.

 

[Mia1023]

You're correct, those are their umbilical cords. If the others are pecking at them or tugging on them, you can clip them off close to the body as long as they're dry. They'll separate and drop off in the next day or two if you just leave them, though.

Thank you! Just to make sure if I cut the cord close to his butt it won’t make it harder for him to take it off right? Also it shouldn’t bleed or will it? Is it possible they can bleed too much? Sorry for a lot of questions I just wouldn’t want to hurt them more.

 

[Coops Dad]

It won't bleed if it's dried out. The chick doesn't take it off; it falls off on its own when it's dried and ready, like a scab. Just like a human umbilical cord does. The biggest difference is other infants don't try to grab the baby's umbilical cord and try to tear it off the way chicks do- that's why you can either clip it short enough to be unnoticeable or separate the chick from the others until it dries enough to be clipped or until it falls off (choice up to you).

 

[Coops Dad]

Stiff, skinny, crinkly brown or black means it's dry enough.