Urgent question about red sack protuding from chick abdomen

[dustbath]

I have an urgent problem with a just-hatched chick. I found it outside the nest about 4 hours ago. The mother refused to take it back. The chick has a red-yellow sack hanging from its lower abdomen, which is sticky. Are these internal organs? What should I do?

This is my first chick (as you can probably tell).

Thanks!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Any chance you can take a photo?

I had one hatch this morning that hadn't quite yet absorbed the yolk salk completely. It dried up pretty quickly, though... just keep the chick warm and let nature do its thing...

But a photo sure would help.

 

[dustbath]

Thanks! The chick is sitting on the sack, if that's what it is, so a photo is pretty hard to take. Does this sound like what it is? The chick is having trouble moving - whatever it is keeps sticking to the bedding and its legs. It's about 3/4 inch long and doesn't seem to be drying out.

 

[dustbath]

Here are a few pictures, not very good. The sack is now mostly red and the chick seems more feeble.

thanks for the help!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Yes, it is her yolk sack.....but she is bleeding from her navel. It is full of blood vessels. Sorry to say, she probably isn't going to make it. Baby chicks bleed out really easy.

 

[dustbath]

Is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable? Should I try to wipe the sack off her legs so she can move more freely?

Is there anything I can do to prevent this with the others?

Thanks again!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

You could wrap her in a damp cloth to keep her still and to prevent her from making it bleed worse. I, honestly, know nothing about hatching under a broody hen. I guess this was just a little uh-oh...it not fully absorbing the yolk, and the motehr was essentially "culling" it by not taking care of it. I have had them hatch in an incubator with an unabsorbed yolk and just left them wrapped and in the bator until it was finished. Sorry this happened.

I am wondering if you could use a thread and tie it off where it connects to her body to prevent her from bleeding more? The sack is busted so she can't absorb it anyway. I don't know....anyone?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Oh dear... we can hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I don't know that I've had any that bad before.

And any that bleed that much usually don't make it...

They just lose too much blood. Wrap in a warm, slightly damp towel and keep it warm is about all you can do at this point. Maybe with a warm wet q-tip clean off any extra goop gently, but you'll probably want to leave it alone for now. I'm so sorry. :aww But mother hen's have a way of knowing when a chick isn't going to thrive.

 

[dustbath]

Thanks for the advice and the kind words. I don't have much hope but I'm trying my best.

Why a damp towel? Wouldn't that make her cold? I assume you mean terry-cloth.

Thanks again.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Sorry... not a damp towel in the brooder... just a warm towel. If she was still in the incubator it would be a damp towel.