Thing hanging from newly hatched chick, looks like a worm

[chickmomma5683]

I just hatched my 4th batch of chicks this morning and there is something hanging out two of their bottoms, I don't think it's the umbilical, it's too thick, it looks like an earthworm. I'm afraid it's the intestines but two of them have it and I've never had that happen. See pic below, it's not great but I didn't want to open the incubator bc there are still some hatching.

 

[nightowl223]

I'm so sorry, but they are their intestines. If you cannot gently tuck them inside, somehow, you need to put the chicks down. If you don't, they will suffer terribly before they die.

The cause is almost certainly incubator temperature being a couple of degrees too high. It makes the chicks develop faster, and hatch too soon, causing their intestines to be stuck outside of their bodies.

 

[sylviethecochin]

x2. If you're determined to save him, coat it with some sort of antiseptic (betadine? iodine?) before trying to push it inside. Cutting the intestine will cause him to bleed to death.

Sorry this happened to you.

 

[nightowl223]

x2. If you're determined to save him, coat it with some sort of antiseptic (betadine? iodine?) before trying to push it inside. Cutting the intestine will cause him to bleed to death.

Sorry this happened to you.

If I were to coat it with something and try to save it, I would use triple antibiotic ointment. It will help hold in moisture and be a bit lubricating for the attempt to tuck them inside.

However, the chances of that being successful are extremely low, and they will likely suffer immensely in the process.

 

[chickmomma5683]

I'm so sorry, but they are their intestines. If you cannot gently tuck them inside, somehow, you need to put the chicks down. If you don't, they will suffer terribly before they die.

The cause is almost certainly incubator temperature being a couple of degrees too high. It makes the chicks develop faster, and hatch too soon, causing their intestines to be stuck outside of their bodies.

Thank you for the information, I appreciate it. My husband is offshore right now so I'm not sure what I'll do, I don't have the guts to do either and he doesn't get home until tomorrow night so I'll have to man up and do one of the two. Thanks.

 

[grayyell11]

It probably won't ever be right. Id put it down.