10-day old chick still can't walk

[Farmerdi]

My husband and I raise "freedom rangers" as broilers, in small flocks of 100 at a time, free-range, with moveable shelters.

We receive shipments of baby chicks once a month.
In the last shipment, from day one, there was one chick who wasn't scooting about like the others. We isolated her, gave her food and water, noticed she seemed to be in pain. Lots of peeping, panting hard after moving. Legs wobbly, both. We hobbled her with a bandaid, hoping it was just spraddles, but doesn't seem to be working. This was a week ago. But we didn't do the hobble very close. Kind of left her a wide stance.
Now she's 10 days old, still eating and drinking, growing almost normally, still wobbly, can't walk, just drags/hops/pulls herself around with great effort and seeming pain.


What do we do?

 

[CMV]

I'd cull her. She is not going to grow out normally if she can't walk, especially in a free-range flock. Ten days is adequate time to establish that she likely won't walk if she hasn't started yet. And then there is the fact she seems to be in pain. That clinches the deal as far as I am concerned. I don't know if she has an injury or a hidden defect, but a chicken that can't walk and seems to be in pain has no chance of any decent quality of life.

Sorry. Good luck.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. I had a chick that I very much wanted to keep, the only dark over dark brahma chick from my roo Thor. We gave him every chance, but not being able to walk was no life for him. He was culled.

 

[Farmerdi]

Oh dear. I was so worried I'd hear that response.
We'll give her a few days longer to see if she gets more mobile... We altered her hobble...

Thank you.
--di

 

[CMV]

Sorry I didn't say it sooner.

I wish it had been under better circumstances.