BuffNumber14
In the Brooder
(photos below -- skip ahead if this is too long!)
I have a 10-day-old Buff Orpington chick with an injured right leg. Not sure of its weight, but it is definitely lighter than its 13 buddies hatched the same day. It's a runt and nickname is "Fourteen."
BACKGROUND
This chick required some assistance to hatch as it was getting tired after many hours. (I just pressed down a bit on the two halves of the zipped egg to open it slightly more).
I did not notice any problems with Fourteen's developments until yesterday. I put Fourteen and three of its hatch mates in a box to see if they would adapt to being in a section of my outdoor coop (with heat). I think it got jostled while walking for a minute from indoors to outdoors with the more boisterous chicks. Once in the coop, it seemed to get run over several times. I bought them back in to their indoor brooder, and Fourteen seemed to be hopping around reasonably well for food and water.
SYMPTOMS
Today Fourteen seems to be in good spirits but mainly sitting down with no weight on its legs. It was getting run over by its hatchmates, so it has been separated into its own cardboard box with chick starter/grit, water and a heatplate. It is adjacent to its hatchmates' tote so they can chirp back and forth.
On examination, it is drawing its right leg into its body. The leg doesn't seem to be splayed. It is curling its toes but these can readily be straightened by finger pressure. I don't feel the injured leg could be hobbled to the good leg as the chick is completely avoiding putting weight on it.
I don't see external trauma.
My wild guess is that it may be a sprain and that it is not a splayed foot nor classy curly toes. But I will add photos and note that I am a novice at chicken keeping (one year).
IS REST WHILE SEPARATED ENOUGH?
Fourteen is in a cardboard box with resin paper on the floor (easier to navigate than pine shavings?) and chick starter in a feeder and scattered on the paper. I am monitoring to see if Fourteen can take water by hobbling to the waterer or needs assistance with a syringe.
I have a 10-day-old Buff Orpington chick with an injured right leg. Not sure of its weight, but it is definitely lighter than its 13 buddies hatched the same day. It's a runt and nickname is "Fourteen."
BACKGROUND
This chick required some assistance to hatch as it was getting tired after many hours. (I just pressed down a bit on the two halves of the zipped egg to open it slightly more).
I did not notice any problems with Fourteen's developments until yesterday. I put Fourteen and three of its hatch mates in a box to see if they would adapt to being in a section of my outdoor coop (with heat). I think it got jostled while walking for a minute from indoors to outdoors with the more boisterous chicks. Once in the coop, it seemed to get run over several times. I bought them back in to their indoor brooder, and Fourteen seemed to be hopping around reasonably well for food and water.
SYMPTOMS
Today Fourteen seems to be in good spirits but mainly sitting down with no weight on its legs. It was getting run over by its hatchmates, so it has been separated into its own cardboard box with chick starter/grit, water and a heatplate. It is adjacent to its hatchmates' tote so they can chirp back and forth.
On examination, it is drawing its right leg into its body. The leg doesn't seem to be splayed. It is curling its toes but these can readily be straightened by finger pressure. I don't feel the injured leg could be hobbled to the good leg as the chick is completely avoiding putting weight on it.
I don't see external trauma.
My wild guess is that it may be a sprain and that it is not a splayed foot nor classy curly toes. But I will add photos and note that I am a novice at chicken keeping (one year).
IS REST WHILE SEPARATED ENOUGH?
Fourteen is in a cardboard box with resin paper on the floor (easier to navigate than pine shavings?) and chick starter in a feeder and scattered on the paper. I am monitoring to see if Fourteen can take water by hobbling to the waterer or needs assistance with a syringe.
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