Why is my Chick's half shell still attached 3 hours later?

[Lazy Farmer]

In the middle of a real normal successful hatch and everything is Peachy Keen. Lots of peeping, lots of unzipping & lots of healthy baby chicks jumping about. We have hatched tons of offspring so all is the norm.
View media item 7892923Then we notice we hatched a chick who thinks it's a turtle!
Poor little Barred Rock chick is dragging around a half shell.
After it dried a bit we placed it in the toasty brooder with it's buddies with the attached half shell that we did not want to forcibly remove. We thought it would dry out and break off. 3 hours later it is still dragging it around!!
View media item 7892944It thinks it's a turtle. We are about to cut it off with scissors. We don't think it will harm the baby Barred Rock.
View media item 7892943It was the membrane glued to the butt of the baby rock!
Have been hatching for a long time and still can't say "I've seen it all".
View media item 7892942Never a dull moment. A day doesn't go by without learning something new.
View media item 7892945Poor little dude said thank guys and took a sip of water..
Gotta love it.
​

 

[getaclue]

What it oftentimes means is that the chick has not yet fully absorbed the yolk sac. Set the chick in the shell, and set both shell, and chick in a coffee cup, or something similar, to keep it from moving around too much. Use pieces of paper towel(s) to help immobilize it, at least until tomorrow.

 

[chickens really]

In many cases the umbilical does not tear from the yolk sack...That chick looked lively...Congrats....

 

[getaclue]

As long as the yolk sac has been absorbed, but the umbilical cord is not ready to break off yet. Sometimes it's just stuck. You just have to check, and assess it. Sometimes, simply cutting the umbilical is ok, but other times, the chick will bleed, or when they begin eating, and drinking, it begins excreting from the umbilical cord. If there is blood, tie it off with sewing thread, or thin string, and leave it for a couple days.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

As long as the yolk sac has been absorbed, but the umbilical cord is not ready to break off yet. Sometimes it's just stuck. You just have to check, and assess it. Sometimes, simply cutting the umbilical is ok, but other times, the chick will bleed, or when they begin eating, and drinking, it begins excreting from the umbilical cord. If there is blood, tie it off with sewing thread, or thin string, and leave it for a couple days.

It did excrete clear fluid 30 seconds after cutting it close to the shell as possible. No blood present. The bird is happy go lucky today. Success I presume came from waiting over 3 hours for surgical removal.
Have some in the past with the cord predominant but first attached so stubbornly to the shell.
I have seen no evidence of blood today, the morning after. But will monitor.
Thank you for your input!

 

[getaclue]

Glad you waited, and it all went well. CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Glad you waited, and it all went well. CONGRATULATIONS! View attachment 1051555

Thanks again. We almost decided to crush up the shell and just reduce the size of the mass and let the glob hang shell less. I presume that would have removed the ability to excrete? Perhaps pain and suffering and eventually fatal?

 

[chickens really]

The umbilical and poop shoot are not the same....close but separate.....

 

[getaclue]

No, it would not have removed the ability to excrete. It allows time for the cord to dry, and close off. Just keep a check on the umbilical area. Sometimes the excretion through the umbilicus causes bacteria, and a little neosporin, or the equivalent, is needed. Always use the neosporin, bacitracin, triple antibiotic ointment, WITHOUT Pain Relief. The lidocain used for pain relief will kill them.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

No, it would not have removed the ability to excrete. It allows time for the cord to dry, and close off. Just keep a check on the umbilical area. Sometimes the excretion through the umbilicus causes bacteria, and a little neosporin, or the equivalent, is needed. Always use the neosporin, bacitracin, triple antibiotic ointment, WITHOUT Pain Relief. The lidocain used for pain relief will kill them.

Roger that!