Problem with chick...umbilical cord?

[gstreed]

First of all, this website is AMAZING! This was my first time incubating and I hatched 100% of my eggs (likely because I've read these forums obsessively). Not sure if it's clear in the pictures, he was all over the place! Appears to have some kind of red membrane-ish something wrapped around his leg. He struggled walking a lot when he hatched, would stand and then fall down and was very weak. He is now much stronger and very active, can hold his head up, and stand for long periods before getting tired. However, this thing around his leg is limiting his movement and, well, it just doesn't seem normal...any ideas? He's in a little cup still in the incubator to try to limit his movement.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Could you gently hold him on his back and get a pic? Try gently unwinding it from around his leg. I'm not really sure if it is the umbilical cord or something else. Keep his movement limited and don't let it get dirty.

BTW, really cute chick!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Could you gently hold him on his back and get a pic? Try gently unwinding it from around his leg. I'm not really sure if it is the umbilical cord or something else. Keep his movement limited and don't let it get dirty.

BTW, really cute chick!

xs 2 It's hard to see with out better pics.

Congrats on the great hatch. Sounds like you did awesome researching from the beginning!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

 

[sabrina11]

Could you try putting him on his back and take a picture so its easy to see?

 

[gstreed]

I will post a better photo in the morning (I'm actually a teacher and these guys are living in my classroom at the moment). It definitely wraps all the way around his leg, it prevents him from walking properly too. I did some reading on other forums and found a similar story, in that case it was an intestinal loop that the foot had caught in. Could that be it? On the other thread it said they were able to free the chicks foot and it healed okay, but I am terrified to try to free him! There is something stuck to the end of it too, yellow and dried out with pieces of egg shell, looks like a bit of the membrane from the inside of the shell which further leads me to believe this is intestinal. He's so strong and lively that I'd be extremely reluctant to accept that there's nothing to be done for him. He also pooped, which I assume is a good sign?

 

[LaurynRose]

Hi, i'm not sure what that was but I was wondering how you incubator since you had such a great hatch rate. Did you use the dry or wet method? What was your temps tire range and humidity levels?

 

[gstreed]

I'm going to say I used wet since I don't know what dry is! I used a forced air styrofoam incubator and kept temp between 99-100 but humidity was more interesting...I tried to keep it around 50% but I'm a teacher and was hatching in the classroom so over the weekend the humidity would drop extremely low. Sometimes I would come in on Monday and it was between 15-35% (even when I came in on Saturday to refill the water!). Since it was getting so low over the weekend I tried to compensate by having a higher humidity during the week (maybe closer to 60-65%). I watched the air cells like crazy (candled 3 times - days 7,14,18) and adjusted humidity based on if I was feeling they were too low or too high. I was pretty active in the whole process! Also used an automatic turner for the whole thing. Locked down at day 18, humidity around 70%, took about 36 hours for all 12 to hatch and I didn't have to assist any. Honestly I'm pretty shocked I had 100% hatch I was anticipating I would get 50% if I was lucky!

 

[gstreed]

*Also this is the only abnormal one to hatch the rest are fluffy, adorable, and running around the brooder happy as can be!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

It sounds like he is doing pretty well and if this gets taken care of should make it fine. That he pooped is good. Has he been drinking and eating yet, or do you know? I can't really give you any more advice than I did earlier without more pictures, but I'm hoping your chick makes it through without any problems.