What would cause this?

[Shannon]

I've had two chicks hatch now that were born with what appeared to be their insides in a pouch on the outside of their bodies. It appears to be hanging from the rear end. Neither chick lived. What is this and why does it happen?

 

[hinkjc]

Too high incubation or hatching temperature. With the temp too high, they cannot absorb the yolk sac properly.

Jody

 

[Shannon]

Well how do you adjust the temp when the eggs are incubated by the hen? I'm not really sure how to fix the problem. We've had six others hatch that have been perfectly fine, but those two just didn't make it. I'm really at a loss for what to do.

 

[SpottedCrow]

It could be that those two were closest to the hen's body...Most of the folks on here use incubators if they don't have broodies available...
You didn't mention in your first post how they were incubated...so she presumed that you used an incubator...mea culpa.
It's called mushy chick syndrome or omphalitis. Not alot you can do, I'm afraid, if they were under the hen. It was just one of those things. I'm sorry that you lost them.

 

[Shannon]

Oh ok. I wasn't aware that most used incubators. The hen was sitting on 15 eggs and so far all but those two have turned out well. Thank you for letting me know!

 

[dlhunicorn]

In general that is probably too great a number for the bird to sit on ... now I inadvert6antly allowed my bird to sit on 21 once (19 of which hatched with only one loss) however I think I got lucky as the nest was a whickerbasket that JUST fit and probably ensured a more even heat for those on the "outside")... I would not recomend so many under a hen .

 

[Shannon]

Well there are actually two hens sitting on it. The nest is a perfect fit for the two of them and they seem to split the eggs between them. I'm not sure what eggs were under which hen though. I do agree though, that would be a large number for one hen. And if our other hen hadn't decided to go and sit with Lucy, I imagine we could have had more problems.