I'm at a loss with what to do for this chick...

Hi Everyone,

I recently became a "chick mom" to 14 bantam chicks (not my first choice, but my son's 1st grade class hatched them and they couldnt' find a home). One of the chicks, the last to hatch, is still not able to walk and it's almost a week old. Originally I thought it would be a case of splay leg, so I used sports tape to bind the legs together as recommended. I regularly checked, but there wasnt' much improvement. It now seems as if it's either a hip issue or maybe neurological. The chick, when leaning against the side wall, can stand. BUT when it attempts to walk, it looses balance, either lunging a million miles an hour ahead and falling onto its side, or crashing into another wall. Ive used the cup method and thought this may help if it is a joint issue. the little bugger manages to hop out, and then falls onto it's side, where it spins in circles until exhausted. Maybe a balance issue? I've been feeding it hard boiled yolks, as was suggested on one forum. any other suggestions? I do physical therapy with this little chick numerous times a day hoping to "retrain" it's legs. It may be helping a little.

And also, it seems like it has this sack on it's neck, that is definitely more on one side than the other. I was assuming this was its crop when full, but why so large on one side and not the other? ugh.

Sounds like you've got the same thing as my chicky in my post.
How's it's food and water intake? Is it still lively and inquisitive? How are the poops? From what I've been reading it might be neurological based from vitamin E deficiency.

Its eating boiled egg yolks and drinking without any problems. Poops are very wet, but i'm assuming this is because it's not eating much of the chicken/starter grower mix like the other ones. It's a very lively chick. Just seems to have no balance and when I do get it on it's feet, it sprints full speed ahead and runs on it's toes. I've spent so many hours trying a million different things, and I'm at a loss. I was going to buy vitamin supplements at Tractor Supply today. I don't know what else to do!

Try capturing a video of it, too. Post it to YouTube and then put the link here. I'm assuming that will help the experts determine what it is.

I'm new to chickens (first one hatched Friday, the other 25 hours ago). The one that hatched yesterday is doing similar unbalanced behaviors and falling over onto her back and laying there like that. It scared the hell out of me this morning when I went to check on her, I thought she was dead. This chick hasn't had it easy.

Very cute chicky though. Do you know what kind she is??

I have no idea what she/he is. I grew up with chickens when I was little, and then took a few decades off from having chickens in my life. Now I have them, so I'm kind of "new" to this, too. Here's a link to the chick in action.
Hopefully this video works (ignore the noisy kids!). Just cut and paste.

That's exactly the way mine is right now, she's just not as mobile being a day old vs a week. Do you ever catch him stuck on his side or back?

I can't wait to hear other people's responses.

Mwewe said:

That's exactly the way mine is right now, she's just not as mobile being a day old vs a week. Do you ever catch him stuck on his side or back?

I can't wait to hear other people's responses.

Click to expand...

I've had a couple like that. They all died . I tried everything

I got this response from another forum. It's something called crazy chick disease which is from a vitamin deficiency.

"
Vitamin E and Selenium is important to treat it if it is Encephalomalacia (crazy chick disease). Poultry Nutri-Drench is a good cure for it and can be found at most feed stores including Tractor Supply Co.:
http://www.nutridrench.com/poultry-nutri-drench.html

Let us know what happens. I hope the little chick makes it.

Consider the brand and quality of chick feed you are using. And get some poultry vitamins-electrolytes to use in the chicks' water."