2 week old chick with a bent wing

[Gabbychickens]

Our chicken surprised us with chicks. She apparently had a secret nest and she just showed up one day with them. They are about 2 weeks old now. One of the chicks has a bent/broken (?) wing. It doesn't come up when she or he flaps them. The rest of them are already able to jump up onto roosting bars, but she can't and just peeps and runs around. She's perfectly healthy. She can run and she eats, poops, everything normal. I'm only concerned because momma has apparently decided it's time for them to roost with her at night instead of sleeping on the ground with them. I'm assuming she'll be fine, but would love some reassurance. For tonight I just picked her up and put her under momma. I'm assuming she can have a perfectly normal life with a bum wing?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos?

 

[Gabbychickens]

 

[Gabbychickens]

That was the best I can get right now. Momma has them under cover due to rain so it's inside and dark. I can try to get a better one tomorrow. Or maybe tonight I can sneak him out from under momma and get a good one with the flash. You can see though that the wing goes down from the joint instead of laying on his back. I have no idea if this is a him or a her, but we have a pool going on in the family on guessing who's a rooster. This one is my pick because he's fearless.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What a sweet baby!
If you can get him/her and examine more closely that might help. Splinting may or may not work depending on the cause. I would almost be inclined to leave it be though, chickens adapt very well. Depends on your goals for him I suppose.

 

[Gabbychickens]

I will try to get a better close up tonight after they are settled in. Momma is a good momma and guards them fiercely. My goal for my chickens is just to be happy. We don't eat them, we don't breed lines, we just eat the eggs and enjoy having chickens. As long as it's not hurting him I'm ok with it. He seems happy and healthy, just can't jump up to roost like the rest of them.

 

[Folly's place]

You will need to make sure he's up with mama at night, if she's not going to stay on the floor with everyone. If it's a fixable problem, go for it. If it's a malformed non-functional wing, he'll be at a disadvantage even after he's feathered out. A ramp to a lower roost might be helpful, depending on your coop set-up.
For now you could confine mama and her chicks in a section without a roost bar, so she is on the floor at night too.
Long term a hen may do well, if that's actually all that's wrong, and a rooster likely won't.
Mary

 

[Gabbychickens]

That's a great idea! I'm going to make my poor hubby build something that he/she can use to get up with momma. Last night I picked him up and put him with her. We have only ever had one rooster, the dad to this chick. Why won't a rooster do well with a deformed wing?

 

[Folly's place]

Cockerels compete, some kindly, some with much more 'enthusiasm' and he would be at a big disadvantage. He's not breeding material if it's any actual malformation either.
You are going to have cockerels in this hatch; do you have a plan for them? All the boys just can't stay in the flock...
Mary

 

[Gabbychickens]

Last time we had a momma hatch out chicks we were able to find homes for the 3 roosters. Our rooster is super docile which is the only reason he was allowed to stay. I don't do roosters. If he is a rooster and has a deformed wing he should be OK staying. We have 27 chickens with only the one rooster. If not I will find a home for him. If any others are roosters they will automatically be moved.