2 week old chick walks on hocks. Eating and drinking ok. Not as big as other chicks.

[Wyorp Rock]

I think you are doing what you can for her.
I hope she starts to improve more. Sadly, sometimes leg issues can't be corrected completely.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

I think you are doing what you can for her.
I hope she starts to improve more. Sadly, sometimes leg issues can't be corrected completely.

Thank you for your comment. I just really need to know that I am indeed doing everything I can. It's ok if her leg issues isn't 100% corrected....I'm just hoping I can help enough so that she can get around and be a happy chicken. As long as she continues to show me she is willing through eatting/drinking, being curious about the world, I will try to help her in whatever way I can. I noticed that since I've been handling her a lot, I think she tries to jump onto my hand when she can.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

I sling him/her up at night and take her off so she can "run around" during the day and place her outside also so she can see outside/get some sun.

Is there a way I can get her to exercise her left leg? Her right leg looks way bigger than her left leg. I am assuming s/he is doing most of the work with her right leg when she is on the sling. I'm trying to off sling it tonight where her left leg is a bit closer to the ground than her right leg and hoping that helps, but at this point, her left leg might be too far gone. She can't walk far, but she can go from one end of the big container I keep her in during the day to the other end.

Is there something special I should do before trying to return her to the flock besides checking up on her a lot? I have 4 chicks that were born around the same time as s/he was. When should I stop slinging her and giving her vitiman E/nutridrench?

Thank you! You guys have been awesome.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Are her legs turning outward?
Her joint looks swollen and possibly it's getting infected. You can try cleaning it with a bit of betadine, then applying triple anitbiotic ointment, but I wonder if the joint has fluid and is oozing.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

Now that you mention it, it does seem like the legs are outward facing. Would this happen if I've been trying to correct for straddle leg incorrectly?

Her right leg joint is much bigger than the left. How do I know if it is infected? I don't see any liquid or oozing...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No, I don't think it would be from the hobbling. There are leg bone deformities that cause the legs to face outward.

This joint looks a bit crusty - it could be from a small abrasion if she's walking on her joints or it may be oozing a bit. Hard to know.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

This is how the legs look. The left leg looks outward and is the leg s/he has trouble with. The right joint looks big. It doesn't have any fluid or ooze I can tell, but it is very warm at that spot....would it be a good idea to needle it to see if I can get any fluid out?

When I take her off the sling and everything, she does try to walk on both of her feet now, but she isn't balanced and hobbles. I took her off the sling so she can rest her legs for the night.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

There was a small cut I believe before when she was walking on her hocks. She is at least trying to walk on her feet now but flaps her wings also (for balance?).

Is there anything I could do with the left leg going outward? Or is this just a bone deformation that can't be helped?

Again I really appreciate the advice.

 

[NewBeeChickGurl]

My very first post on this thread, you can see a small cut on her right hock on the 4th picture. Could this be the reason it's so swollen and big now?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Let's see what @Eggcessive thinks when she comes on, but sadly, I think it may be a deformity.
Both joints look a bit swollen, but the right one is worse.