Yolk Sack Still Attached After Hatch

[FourShuesFarm]

Well I just hatched 13 Rhode Island Red chicks ( Krebs Stock from Canyon Creek Poultry) this is the second to last chick to be hatched. It pipped and zipped normally as to what I can tell. All of the rest of the birds seem do be doing fine, but this one has what appears to me as an unabsorbed Yolk Sack. I know there can be many reasons for this, (temps,humidity,shipped eggs, ect), but my question is will this bird make it?

Other chicks are pecking at the sac and I am afraid it won't make it if this thing erupts. I know we want it to dry out and fall off right? Is that possible? This baby just hatched and I wanted to hear from the gurus here.

I have been reading here for weeks. I have searched many threads here, and its a wonderful place for chicken info I look forward to hearing your your thoughts on survival.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have no clue what to do but I'm sure someone with experience will peep in soon. What I would do is separate it from the rest, don't want the other pecking it & causing it to rupture. Keep the chick separated & warm, don't worry about food/water, thinking it's still absorbing the nutrients from the sack. Hopefully it will absorb & not dry out but I from my experience (happened to me once) the chick didn't make it

Good luck ... Type in "unabsorbed yolk sac" in the search, it will take you to others that have had the problem.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I searched.....Apparently it happens alot more than I thought. Didn't read the whole thing but someone followed this advice & it worked! PLEASE do the search, I'm going back to read more.

9/19/16 at 2:42am

• JanetMarie
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• Location: Michiana
• Joined: 10/2014
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I have not tried this, but have read to put a damp paper towel in a tea cup and set the chick inside, and the yolk absorbs. Of course, keep in a warm place.

 

[hatchichickens]

Try reading this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/463890/unabsorbed-yolk-sack-help
I hope things turn out well!

 

[FourShuesFarm]

Worst case just happened, another chick hatched and and stepped on the yolk. It ruptured the yolk. The chick with the yolk problem is still alive, but man there is a mess on the new chick and have no clue what to do with the yolk hanger. Can I clean the new chick, and what to do with the Yolk hanger. There are blood vessels in the sack so they cant be cut away.

What a huge mess this has become. I am not trained for this kind of thing.

 

[FourShuesFarm]

reading now.

 

[hatchichickens]

You can also try mushing up cooked egg yolk, or chick feed, with water into a paste and feeding it to your chick with an oral syringe. Once bleeding has stopped keep the belly moist (warm, damp paper towel) and apply neosporin around it. If there ends up being a hole in the belly try covering it with medical tape or a small bandage. There is a decent chance that the chick will live. Despite being so small and fragile, I have found that they have a strong will to survive!!!

 

[FourShuesFarm]

You can also try mushing up cooked egg yolk, or chick feed, with water into a paste and feeding it to your chick with an oral syringe. Once bleeding has stopped keep the belly moist (warm, damp paper towel) and apply neosporin around it. If there ends up being a hole in the belly try covering it with medical tape or a small bandage. There is a decent chance that the chick will live. Despite being so small and fragile, I have found that they have a strong will to survive!!!

I read the other thread, and once it was ruptured I had to make a call. I noticed the blood was starting to flow along with the yolk. I took a #3-0 Vicryl suture and tied it off just below the vent. I had to try to stop the bleeding. I laid it on a paper towel, and mixed up some D5NS solution (is a solution of 5 percent dextrose in normal saline (0.9 percent sodium chloride in warm water) and drip fed the bird to give it some energy. Ill try to mix up some 20% Starter Crumb into a paste if it lives for the next 30 mins or so.

I figured it was dead already so I could not hurt trying to save its life. Time will tell, and y fingers are crossed. Helluva way to make a first post after lurking for so long.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Keep us posted, no harm in trying. I had a 3wk old chick that suddenly couldn't walk, thanks to BYC members & trying, he's now walking & a spoiled pet! Best wishes...

 

[FourShuesFarm]

So I was up most of the night working with this chick. It seems it kept pushing out more yolk from inside. I am not talking about leaking from where I cut, but behind the suture. A new little yolk sac emerged from the slit. I keep changing the paper towels, but I fell asleep about 4:30am. When I woke up at 7:30am the yolk had enveloped this poor chick. Its wing and leg were all matted down to the paper towel which was now attached to the little bowl I had the it quarantined to, It was basically glued to a bowl via a paper towel. No blood, just yolk. OH NO... right?

Well looking at this poor thing (still alive and fighting to live), I had to make a call. Would I put it down or help it even more. You know exactly what I did. I took it into the bathroom and helped it. I got a soft paint brush from my kids art set, and started some warm water. I gently brushed warm water on the stuck areas and freed it from the bowl. Then I put it under a gentle stream of warm water and loosed up its wing from its leg. Then I started to paint away all of the dried yolk with that soft brush. It's poor little #2 hole was dried shut, and once I freed it, it actually pooped. A bright green inside a clear liquid. Is that chickie meconium? Anyways, I noticed that the suture was still in tact, and the additional yolk sac had withdrawn. (finally some good news).

Next with a hair dryer on low, I put this chick to sleep painting its feathers fluffy. I was like a beautician with a hairbrush. I dried the whole chick and was able to even dry out the suture area (fantastic IMO). I fed this little bird again the D5NS solution, and also a slurry of crushed starter with same solution. She ate a little, and seems to be walking fine. I put her in the brooder with the rest of the gang. I'll keep a close eye in it to make sure no one picks on it for now. I decided to call this bird, "Chance" because it a 50/50 chance to live. It either lives, or it doesn't.

Long story short, so far so good.