Solitary chicken - need advice

[amycribyn]

In my incubator there was a chick in an egg that started piping at the pointy end of the egg and had not piped any more for over a day! So I decided to help him, I did this gradually and finally when he came out I noticed he has a bloody lump on his bum?

Does any one know what's wrong? I also have another chick that has piped the same way, should I help him out too?

Any advice greatly received!

[atsw]

I believe that the general wisdom is that you should not help a chick out of it's egg. I know from this forum, that some have given assistance, and everything has been fine, but it's a case of survival of the fittest when it comes to chicks, and they must have the strength and determination to make their own way into this world. Any that can't, for what ever reason, either do not have the strength or have something slightly wrong with them.

 

I found this on another forum which seems to match the symptoms you describe.

http://www.raising-chickens.org/help-with-a-baby-chick-.html

[amycribyn]

Thanks, I will leave the other chick alone then. I have had a look at the chick in the incubator and he is toddling around chirping away, I think it is his belly button area that is bleeding.

[Redwing]

yes it will be his navel bleeding from the trauma of removing him from the egg before he is fully ready

 

If its just a blood covered bump then it should dry up and shrivel in the next few days. other chicks may peck at it but they rarely do damage

 

I would personally leave the chick in the incubator for longer than normal - up to two days is fine, the controlled environment will be the best place for it in the early days. They dont need food and water for a few days so it wont come to any harm in there

 

If you find the others peck at it or harrass it then remove those after 12 hours leaving the chick on its own to rest and heal for another day or so

[amycribyn]

thanks both chicks are fine now but I did have to help the second out.