Omphalitis is a disease observed in chicks in the first days of life. It is an umbilical-yolk infection. Owners of feathered pets, especially those that have recently hatched from eggs, should carefully monitor the chickens, their behavior and well-being. From time to time, you should pay attention to how the navel heals. If liquid oozes out of it, it means that the umbilical cord heals poorly and must be constantly monitored so that bedding material, food particles and droppings do not enter the bird’s body through it. They are a consequence of the development of omphalitis in chicks.
The causative agents of the disease are the bacteria streptococcus, staphylococcus, proteus. They enter the body of chickens through the navel and multiply there, causing an inflammatory process.
The main reasons for the appearance of omphalitis are non-compliance with the rules for incubating eggs. In newborn chicks, the umbilical ring may not tighten, the umbilical opening may not heal or close, through which bacteria penetrate.
Sick chickens behave very quietly, do not run, try to stay away from other chicks in a group, sway slightly. They do not touch food, do not drink water, constantly lower their heads down and do not react to external stimuli. Feathered pets infected with omphalitis die mostly a week after birth. Their immune system is not yet able to fight off microorganisms and infection.
First of all, in order to avoid infection of chickens with omphalitis, it is necessary to properly incubate eggs. Before placing them in the incubator, the device should be disinfected, and the trays should be checked for dryness and cleanliness. In the process of “hatching” you need to make sure that it is sterile and dry so that bacteria do not multiply in the incubator. Eggs must also be dry, without cracks and with a strong shell.
When weak chicks are born with signs of damage or infection in the umbilical cord, the hole should be treated with special ointments containing antibiotics or disinfectant solutions that will not damage the tissues of the chickens and will not burn the skin.
