2 day old chick - weak or just having trouble standing/walking?

[Misfit Farm]

I have had hens sitting on 14 Marans eggs. One egg hatched 2 days ago (Wednesday). The mama hen continued to sit on the 2 other eggs with this baby under her until today. When I came home today the hen had moved out into the outside pen with the chick. She was sitting outside with the chick under her. My outside pen is not secure for chicks so I moved mama and the baby into a secure stall in my barn. When I put the baby down he/she was peeping but seemed to have trouble walking - it couldn't really stand up, just sort of crawled under mom. I discovered that I am out of chick food so I ground up layena pellets and offered them to the baby but he/she ignored the food. The chicks eyes are bright and it he/she is holding her head up and peeping but just can't walk/stand/move around very well? Could he/she just be weak? Could it be something else? What can I do for this little guy? None of the other eggs appear to be hatching so I REALLY would like to save this one.

Jen

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

Please, don't continue to feed the baby the layena pellets, even ground up! Layena is meant for laying hens and has high levels of calcium. Too much calcium in a baby chick under 18 weeks old can severely damage the kidneys or even kill the chick. If your out of food, give the chick scrambled egg instead until you can get more chick food. Anyway, feel around the hip, knee, and ankle joints. If you don't feel a break, and if nothing seems to be deformed, my guess is splay legs. Make a hobble out of vetrap or a bandage and keep it on for a few days, then remove, evaluate, and if needed, put a new one on. Here are some links to creating a hobble:

~http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1/

~https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=449707

Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

[Misfit Farm]

Thanks for the response. I have made scrambled eggs for the baby and put the Layena up were mom can reach it but the baby can't. So far he/she doesn't seem interested in food or water but it is bright eyed and cheeps loudly when picked up. It's legs do not seem deformed and they do not stick out to the sides like in the pictures in the links. It's legs are under him/her in apparently the correct position but instead of standing up on it's feet he/she is "sitting" so his/her whole leg from foot to knee is on the ground. His/her toes are not curled under but are all together instead of spread out - maybe because he/she is not standing up? I tried putting a hobble on him/her but every time she/she tried to move he/she then fell either on on his/her face or side and then could not get back up because of the hobble and then the mama would peck at him/her.

Maybe I should take him/her away from mom and bring him/her into the house? I just worry because this is the only chick I have and I don't want him/her to be lonely. Also I have 10 house cats so, even in a covered brooder the little guy might not be too safe.

Jen

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

I tried putting a hobble on him/her but every time she/she tried to move he/she then fell either on on his/her face or side and then could not get back up because of the hobble and then the mama would peck at him/her.

Yea sometimes its hard to walk with the hobble but if it will help the chick in the long run, sometimes it's the best way to go.​

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

And don't worry about the chick not eating. For up to 3 days after the chick hatched, it wont eat alot, because it lives off the yolk that it absorbed while in the egg. However, when you do get the chick food, my friend gave me this idea that makes it easier to eat. If you eat takeout chinese food as much as we do, you'll have hundreds of those soup contianers and the matching lids. Pour some crumbles on to a lid, and pour water onto them until it is soft, not runny. Pour any extra water out and give it to the chick. He/she should love it!

 

[Misfit Farm]

Well the little guy didn't make it through the night.

Jen

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
So sorry,