Umbilical hole?

[thekitchenwitch]

Hello all!

I've been lurking her for a few years now, learning all I can and preparing for the arrival of our chicks. We now have 30 beautiful baby birds, and I'm hoping you can help!

They are 6 days old and arrived via postal service on Thursday. Three of the chicks had pasty butts on arrival, which we have been cleaning with cotton swabs dipped in warm water, then dabbing with a bit of oil. They have apple cider vinegar in their water, and their chick feed contains a mix of probiotics.

This morning, one chick had what seemed like a huge amount of diarrhea pasted around the vent (really, the whole backside). We gently cleaned it all off to clear the vent, and it seems the chick has an exposed/open navel hole. Should we be concerned? Is there anything we should be doing to treat it? Otherwise, the chick seems active and is eating and drinking like all the others.

I attached a picture of the chick's rear for reference. My chemist husband decided we needed nitrile gloves for butt-cleaning...

Thank you in advance for any and all help! I'm grateful to become part of this community.

 

[Pyxis]

I'm seeing the vent, which looks a little swollen, but that's normal with pasty butt. I'm not seeing an open umbilicus though. It might be because I'm on my phone, I'll look again when I get on my computer.

 

[aart]

Agrees on the swollen vent... and it being normal.

I lightened the pic, umbilicus would be about where red circle is....not really seeing anything there.

If it is open, keep a close eye on it, wash with saline, then lightly coat with antibiotic ointment(NO pain relief ingredients).

 

[thekitchenwitch]

Thank you--photo-editing is above and beyond! When I first cleaned the chick's rear, the umbilicus looked like a small red hole. We tried to get a better picture, but the (very tolerant) chick seemed over the photo shoot. Upon examination this evening, it looks like the hole has closed over, but I will swab a bit of antibiotic ointent just in case. I attached a more recent photo: it seems like the umbilicus is closed and a little crusty (no more open, winking red hole).

Thank you for your recommendations. It's amazing how quickly you become attached to these little creatures. I just want to nurture and protect them as best I can.

Agrees on the swollen vent... and it being normal.

I lightened the pic, umbilicus would be about where red circle is....not really seeing anything there.
View attachment 1046649

If it is open, keep a close eye on it, wash with saline, then lightly coat with antibiotic ointment(NO pain relief ingredients).

 

[Pyxis]

In your newest picture you can clearly see where the stomach would be open if the umbilicus wasn't closed and there's nothing there at all. So that's good!

 

[thekitchenwitch]

Thank you. We tried our best to get a better image, but the chick was done with being pestered. It looked like a small, open red hole. I checked again this evening, and it seems to have closed/crusted over. And the vent seems less swollen.

I'm seeing the vent, which looks a little swollen, but that's normal with pasty butt. I'm not seeing an open umbilicus though. It might be because I'm on my phone, I'll look again when I get on my computer.

 

[Pyxis]

Glad to hear the chick is doing well

 

[aart]

It's frightening when the umbilicus is open at all...but amazing how fast even a pencil eraser sized hole closes up. I've had few that I thought were gonna be goners and they were just fine after a few hours to a day.

 

[thekitchenwitch]

Yes, exactly this. I was so scared, and then the chick seemed completely fine after only a few hours--at first I thought I must have grabbed the wrong one. And it did look like a small, pencil-eraser-sized hole.

Thanks for making me feel less alone on this one!

It's frightening when the umbilicus is open at all...but amazing how fast even a pencil eraser sized hole closes up. I've had few that I thought were gonna be goners and they were just fine after a few hours to a day.

 

[thekitchenwitch]

Glad to hear the chick is doing well

Thank you! Me too.