Unhealed/unabsorbed yolk?

[MizzClucker]

Had our fourth chick hatch out this morning and immediately noticed yolk and blood smeared all over the incubator. I’m not sure if one of the other chicks stomped on it before it had time to absorb or exactly what happened. It had quite a mound of blood and goo stuck to its butt. Anyway it was moving a bit and trying to stand so I let it be. Still in lockdown and all that. Well I checked again the oldest chick that hatched yesterday was pecking at its swollen butt. So I immediately removed all of the bigger chicks leaving this one to heal. Well it’s been in there all day, happy as a little clam cheeping and strutting but still has a big bloody butt although maybe it’s smaller. Hard to say since I’m barely opening it so as to keep the three other pippers safe. Is there anything I should be doing for it? I don’t want remove it as I don’t have another brooder where it will be safe from the other chicks.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! When you take it out, it’s going to need to at least see and hear other chicks, but also be close to them. I would suggest using some chicken wire to close off a small portion of the brooder, with enough heat and it’s own source of food and water.
It may like to lay against the side so that it can still huddle with the other chicks under the heat lamp. After a couple days when it finishes absorbing the yolk and/or the bloody part heals, you can let them back together again, but just watch them more closely for the first few days to make sure they don’t start picking on it again. Hope this helps!

 

[MizzClucker]

Hello! When you take it out, it’s going to need to at least see and hear other chicks, but also be close to them. I would suggest using some chicken wire to close off a small portion of the brooder, with enough heat and it’s own source of food and water.
It may like to lay against the side so that it can still huddle with the other chicks under the heat lamp. After a couple days when it finishes absorbing the yolk and/or the bloody part heals, you can let them back together again, but just watch them more closely for the first few days to make sure they don’t start picking on it again. Hope this helps!

He’s still in the *bator and another hatched just an hour or so ago so I will leave them together until atleast tomorrow. Still have two more pipped. But man it stinks in there since gooey butt hatched.
Is there anything I should be putting on it or just let it heal? There is so much all over the incubator I actually told my kids he probably won’t make it and now he’s zipping around with a bloody gooey butt.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

If its navel is still bleeding you may want to take it out and put some bloodstop powder (or flour or cornstarch if you don’t have it) on it to stop the flow.

Also, by “He’s still in the brooder and another hatched just an hour or so ago” did you mean to say incubator instead of brooder? Sorry, I just wanted to clear up any confusion.

 

[MizzClucker]

 

[MizzClucker]

I just rant home for lunch and to check on the little cheepers. It looks like all that had pipped had hatched so I grabbed him out to take a closer look. When I first picked him up there was no bulge, just a reddish yellowish goo. I offered him some yolk and water and he ate and drank a couple bites before cheeping wildly for his buddies. I checked again and this is what it looked like. It had also dripped a couple of yellow drops. So the commotion seems to have protruded it out and it’s obviously infected. I had to get back to work so I didn’t have time to clean it up. What product should I clean it with? And what kind of topical antibiotic should I use? Note that I’m in Canada and in a pretty rural area so I may not have the same products available as most of you folk. But I do pass a vet clinic on my way home.

 

[MizzClucker]

If its navel is still bleeding you may want to take it out and put some bloodstop powder (or flour or cornstarch if you don’t have it) on it to stop the flow.

Also, by “He’s still in the brooder and another hatched just an hour or so ago” did you mean to say incubator instead of brooder? Sorry, I just wanted to clear up any confusion.

And sorry, yes he’s still in the incubator not brooder
I just keep taking the older ones out and leaving the freshest with him for a buddy.

 

[MizzClucker]

Oh, and he is totally lively. If it weren’t for his gooey butt you would think he’s totally healthy.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Excellent! That means it’s a strong one and it will probably be okay if it’s acting normal

 

[BelovedBirds]

It's super dangerous for them to lose their yolks, when they rupture it leaves them open to infection. It also takes away their life-line, their nutrients that they need.

For this little guy, it's impossible to say whether he'll make it. But I would prepare for the worst. That said, there's some things you can do to help him along.
You could apply some triple antibiotic (without pain relief) over the naval area. You could also give the chick some nutri drench or sugar water go keep it's energy up. Try mixing yolk with sugar water and encourage the chick to drink the mixture. These things can help to get some nutrients and energy into him.

And, absolutely keep him separate from the others so that they dont peck at him. Once out of the incubator, if you could separate him from the others, see but no touch, that would be ideal. Try to keep everything as clean as possible so the naval area stays clean.