Turkey belly button

[longranger]

Has anyone here routinely treated the drying stump/belly button with betadine or other antiseptic to avoid the hopefully rare death from that area getting infected? Does it help or just leave them in the Bator an extra day or so? Have lost a couple to that problem this year and it was ugly.

 

[deeszoo]

I usually treat my chicks as soon as I take them out. I used to use an animal salve that comes in a square red tin, but I can't find the name of it right now. I got it at Orscheln. It seemed to really work on this particular problem, but I would think that other antibiotic wound treatments would work. I cured a couple of chicks by treating them repeatedly and making sure they had sugar water with vitamins while they were getting better. I know people say it can't be done. The first one I treated, I put it in a basket away from the other chicks (and the heat) thinking it would be dead by morning. Instead, it woke me in the night peeping. It wasn't strong yet, but it got stronger and survived. Now I routinely treat all the belly buttons. I haven't hatched for a couple of years, so I am glad I read this thread to be reminded. I will try to post when I find the right stuff.

 

[longranger]

I think I will try treating my next batch with neosporin. Too late for the ones that went in the brooder today. Not really worried as this has only happened to me a couple of times. Still it is easy to do and I can't see what harm it would cause.

By the way I posted this on the new chick section and was made fun of. Obviously some of those people never looked at a chick or poults belly before the fuzz dries and hide that tiny or occasionally not so tiny scab where the vessels used to go in and the yolk was resorbed.

 

[deeszoo]

I probably get made fun of, too. But, I don't hatch hundreds at a time, and i figure each chick I save is worth a swab of medicine.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

Quote:
i've never heard of this before. i've noticed the area before when i've had a few hatch and look like it would cause an issue but they either survived or died depending on how strong they were. i think the salve you are talking about is Pulvex, i got mine at TSC.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
I look at it from an only the strong survive type view. If the poult/chick can't fight off an infection you have to ask the hard question of is it worth saving? I know it sounds cruel but you aren't doing your flock any favors in the long run.

Steve

 

[Sageblossom]

My incubator was running too humid and I had several sticky chicks with infected belly buttons. I saved them all by applying Schreiner's Herbal Solution twice a day for a week, from the time I took them out of the incubator. I found it at our local feed store.

By the way that stuff is amazing for all kinds of animal wounds and skin problems.

 

[OmaBird]

I think it is just habit from raising so many foals that I grab for nolvasan solution diluted 5 to 1. It is less messy than betadine and keeps bacteria out, better than iodine or betadine in test (google it). If Betadine is all you have then it is 2nd best. You want it to dry out but not to fast. Re-dip the area up to 4 times a day until it is healed. I keep them away from anyone that is going peck at them until the umbilical looks normal. This is not treating a infection. It is keeping a infection from happening. If the poults envirorment was completely sterile there would be no problem.