Handicapped Baby Chicken

[chickie2456]

Last week I was so busy with school work and packing for Florida I didn't have time to write a post. But Chickie is twelve days old today! This week I had to go down to Florida to visit the college I will be attending this fall, and she flew down with me. We there from Thursday (4/10) to Tuesday (4/15) and chickie was so good! The plane ride didn't bother her at all and security was a very nice (except I did lie and say she was a Chickadee bird). She's been eating a lot (love her bananas and yogurt) and growing a little bit too. She finally lost her baby fluff in her wings and has some new wing feathers. She still needs the brace to stand but she's doing okay. If I take the brace off, her legs go outwards and she can't stand, but with the brace on I think it's hard for her to balance so she has to lean on me a bit. Besides all of that we are back home and doing well!

side note: I did put her on an anti-biotic because I thought she may of had an upper respiratory infection because she breathed super heavy but it's been a week and she's now off it and breathing much better! Tomorrow I will start giving her the apple cider vinegar again.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

That is excellent news!! She is adorable and clearly has a great owner.
That's funny that she even went on a plane ride, haha.

What kind of antibiotic did you put her on?

I'm really happy for you. Very interested in seeing how she develops further.

 

[chickie2456]

Sorry I haven't wrote in a while, finishing up my senior year of high school and I have been so busy! So Pippa is still doing good! She is going through her ugly stage though and dropping her fluff for feathers. After she turned a month, I decided to take her to the vet just in case, and they have been wrapping her legs for her brace, and she is on some pain killers. I am so happy she is doing so well! I did not think she was going to make it past a week, but we are pushing through! This little chicken has brought so much joy to my life, and everyone around us.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Your chick is so precious! She looks so good!!

I'm really happy that you were able to take her to the vet, that is excellent.

How are her toes? I know you put bandaids on them before.
What kind of antibiotic cleared up her respiratory infection?

She looks really good, I'm glad you updated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Rather than ACV in her water that can irritate a chick's tender GI tract, and yogurt that can contain too much calcium for chicks, I would recommend putting her on a vitamin and probiotic supplement that contains vitamin B1 thiamine, B2 riboflavin, along with D. A tiny amount of yogurt, or better, buttermilk can be substituted for probiotics. Toe and feet problems sometimes can be helped by the B vitamins along with taping the feet. We have enjoyed the sweet pictures of your precious chick. Good luck.

 

[chickie2456]

Thanks for all the support! I stopped giving her the yogurt and now that I think back I bet she didn't have a respiratory infection, probably me just being crazy. Sadly, it looks like her legs won't heal properly. Even with the brace on it for a few weeks, they still go out. The vet said it was because her muscle over stretched. I'm not ready to give up on my little baby though, she isn't in any pain and still eats fine. So she is currently getting a wheelchair made. This is going to be a very interesting adventure.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

How is she growing? Has she feathered out anymore?

I'm really happy to hear she is getting a wheel chair made. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Keep us updated.

 

[RussianChickens]

The reason she is not growing as much is because she is a bantam. Its a golden phoenix, which are very small birds. She isn't disordered in her growing. Lovely pics! Keep up with her, she will likely grow into her lose muscles but it may take time.

 

[chickie2456]

She's still in the translation of getting rid of her baby fluff but she does have more adult feathers. And she does look like a golden phoenix, but do you think she's growing at a normal rate? The chickens she was hatched with are practically full grown and she still looks like a three week old, even though she's close to four months now.

 

[RussianChickens]

She's still in the translation of getting rid of her baby fluff but she does have more adult feathers. And she does look like a golden phoenix, but do you think she's growing at a normal rate? The chickens she was hatched with are practically full grown and she still looks like a three week old, even though she's close to four months now.

Yes, that is normal for a bantam. I have one and he is twice as small as my bantam LF crosses. And those are crosses between phoenix and LF birds. Only one is pure bantam and he is tiny.