1-Day-Old Chick with Curled/Squished Leg

[ThreesACharm]

I have a one-day-one wyandotte chick (hatched from our incubator) with what looks like a curled foot that won't descend. He hops around on one foot (which also seems to have curled/crooked toes) but otherwise seems fine. He did have problems hatching -- he was the first to crack through his shell, but it took him over a day to finally pull himself out and we had to peel back the bottom of the shell (he got through the sack himself) because he didn't have the strength to push it off himself, I'm guessing because of this foot problem.

I've never seen this before. We use an auto-turner for the eggs, and the other chicks that have hatched before and after him have no apparent problems. I tried to gently relax his leg so I could splint it, but he cries when I do that. It doesn't seem to be swollen or anything, and besides hobbling to get around, he doesn't seem to be sick or have any other problems. We're using cedar chips and terrycloth for the brooder flooring.. this appears to be something that happened prior to or maybe during hatching, though.

I tried to get a video of him hopping so you could get an idea of what's going on (excuse my three-year-old in the background!)

Anyone ever seen this before? Is there anything I can do to help him, maybe splinting the leg?

 

[cassidy22]

If you can separate the little buy into his own brooder, so that the others don't peck and walk all over him, AND he can get to food and water without the others knocking him around, give it some time. If you have vitamins and booster, anything to help put strength in him would be good.

I've seen this before, and I have had luck IF I separate the chick, that with time, they leg strengthens and straightens and everything is fine. If they are brooded with other chicks, they often get trampled and knocked out of the way of food and water, and they don't thrive.

 

[ThreesACharm]

I partitioned the brooder off last night because the other chicks were walking all over him, he has his own water and food supply but I only have one heat lamp.. Do you think keeping it sectioned off would be enough? I can go get another heat lamp if necessary, but it might take a day or two.

We're giving them medicated feed & I do have vitamins I can put in his water. Thanks for the suggestions!