Day-old chick can't straighten legs to walk...???

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Sunny Side Up

Sunny Side Up

Count your many blessings...
11 Years
Mar 12, 2008
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Loxahatchee, Florida
One of my broody banties hatched 2 chicks on Wed. When she took them for their first outing yesterday I noticed that one of them doesn't walk upright but sort of scoots around with his legs bent at the knees. He seems fairly active & alert, not lethargic, but he does feel very light. It's not spraddle-legged, it just won't straighten its legs to walk.

I'm keeping this family separated in their own little cage so Mama can't leave him behind and so the other adults won't pick on him. This morning I gave them some scrambled egg & some leftover pbj sandwich, for extra protein. The Mama pecked it up & clucked for the kids to come & eat, but this chick didn't come right away to eat. I had to leave the house in a hurry this morning & wasn't able to stay & see how much the chick might eat.

Anyone got any other suggestions as to how I could improve this chick's chance of survival?
 
I'm afraid I don't have any good sugguestions...

I had one like that and tried for several weeks to help it out, but in the end it got harder for it to move, and I had to put it down.
 
Stretch the legs. Sometimes the legs are cramped because the tendons are too short or other reasons. He just needs some physical therapy. It'll hurt him, he'll scream, but he'll be able to walk. Don't stretch them too far though, stretch them almost straight, but not completely straight. If he's fixable, you'll see improvement in about a week.
 
Give vitamins. And make sure there is vitamin E, D, A and selenium in the vitamins. Could be a vitamin deficiency. Try feeding someExact baby bird hand feeding formula or other baby bird formula. Hard boiled yolks are good too. But definitely get some vitamins in those chicks. And make sure they are getting water.
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