24 hour old chick with legs and feet issue.

[Beckys Birds]

No do not treat her with vitamin D and calcium. Just keep her on a balance chick starter grower feed. That is the best thing for her. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies in parents or early in life can be a cause if she was older and had been fed a poor diet.

Ok. I'm trying to get him to eat the chick starter, but it's slow going. He actually ate enough egg and chick feed to get a full crop tonight. I've never gotten him to do that before.
I guess I'll let the breeder know something is off in her chicken's diet. This would be a total death sentence for other chicks hatched by people with normal lives. I'm on disability and my life is my animals. I have an amazing husband who doesn't stress over me hyperfixating on babies like this. He is encouraging and celebrates the little wins with me. I haven't even made supper in the last 3 days.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

No do not treat her with vitamin D and calcium. Just keep her on a balance chick starter grower feed. That is the best thing for her. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies in parents or early in life can be a cause if she was older and had been fed a poor diet.

I agree with @Eggcessive. I have read that these two minerals have an interesting inverse relationship: too much of one can deplete the other. And messing with additional supplements in such a wee, tiny peep could really throw things off balance. I just happened to have ordered the chick feed I have used for years, Purina Organic Chick Starter Feed, and took a pic of the label. As you may know Purina is notorious for not including ingredients on the bag - PFFFTTT, nor are these ingredients easy to find online. I hope you can read it, the print is kind of blurred, but I can see it has calcium and phosphorus, I'm presuming in the right ratio, and Vit D3. I would imagine whatever starter feed you are giving little Seal has all this in it as well. My gut, which is sometimes the most scientific method I have (LOL), tells to increase the starter feed in the power syringe you are giving her.

The video is absolutely adorable, a full crop!! That is a huge first!! She loves being with you, what a precious bond, and what a strong will to live! Sweet dreams for this little angel!

 

[Beckys Birds]

I agree with @Eggcessive. I have read that these two minerals have an interesting inverse relationship: too much of one can deplete the other. And messing with additional supplements in such a wee, tiny peep could really throw things off balance. I just happened to have ordered the chick feed I have used for years, Purina Organic Chick Starter Feed, and took a pic of the label. As you may know Purina is notorious for not including ingredients on the bag - PFFFTTT, nor are these ingredients easy to find online. I hope you can read it, the print is kind of blurred, but I can see it has calcium and phosphorus, I'm presuming in the right ratio, and Vit D3. I would imagine whatever starter feed you are giving little Seal has all this in it as well. I gut, which is sometimes the most scientific method I have (LOL), tells to increase the starter feed in the power syringe you are giving her.

The video is absolutely adorable, a full crop!! That is a huge first!! She loves being with you, what a precious bond, and what a strong will to live! Sweet dreams for this little angel!

We used to use Purina but the birds all stopped laying, chickens and ducks, so we switched to Nutrina Naturewise. We hadn't switched for a full week and everyone was spitting eggs out. This was in 2021 or 2022, I can't remember. I think masks were still mandatory during that time.
I'm feeding the Nutrina chick starter. I'll increase the amount of starter tomorrow. I'll probably get the old morter and pestal out and grind the crumbles to a powder so it's easier to desolve in the vitamin water and the egg mash.

I emailed the breeder so she knows about Seal. I'm worried about his mother. She must not be eating the food provided or something. Hopefully, the breeder will take my message as I intended, as a heads up incase there are issue with her birds, and not an accusation. Not everyone who hatches and raises chickens can be as devoted as I can be to a deformed animal. I'm fortunate to be in my position in life and am able to be.

I love this little bird. I seriously hope he pulls through and survives. I'll do everything in my power to make sure he lives a happy life. My friend is researching prosthetics she can 3D print for him, and my husband is drawing up wheelchair plans.
I'm sure it'll end up looking more like a tank. He's been thinking of ways to turn MY power wheelchair into an off road tank.
I love it.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

We used to use Purina but the birds all stopped laying, chickens and ducks, so we switched to Nutrina Naturewise. We hadn't switched for a full week and everyone was spitting eggs out. This was in 2021 or 2022, I can't remember. I think masks were still mandatory during that time.
I'm feeding the Nutrina chick starter. I'll increase the amount of starter tomorrow. I'll probably get the old morter and pestal out and grind the crumbles to a powder so it's easier to desolve in the vitamin water and the egg mash.

I emailed the breeder so she knows about Seal. I'm worried about his mother. She must not be eating the food provided or something. Hopefully, the breeder will take my message as I intended, as a heads up incase there are issue with her birds, and not an accusation. Not everyone who hatches and raises chickens can be as devoted as I can be to a deformed animal. I'm fortunate to be in my position in life and am able to be.

I love this little bird. I seriously hope he pulls through and survives. I'll do everything in my power to make sure he lives a happy life. My friend is researching prosthetics she can 3D print for him, and my husband is drawing up wheelchair plans.
I'm sure it'll end up looking more like a tank. He's been thinking of ways to turn MY power wheelchair into an off road tank.
I love it.

That is good intel regarding Nutrina Naturewise, I will check it out. I have a large multi-species household, and everyone eats Purina foods as a mainstay. For dogs and cats specifically, I have tried everything under the sun, the most expensive to the most natural and everything inbetween. Each time, back to Purina. Both types of kibble smell freshly baked! I did try Nutrish again for my dogs recently, as it was a good deal and the food does appear to be well formulated, but my dogs literally looked at it, sniffed it, and looked at me as if to say, Really, Mom, you expect us to eat this? And this coming from dogs!

For chickens, I entered the world of having chickens as pets to live cruelty free from the horrors these poor birds endure. I thought I was doing good by buying cage free eggs, and then saw a video of how they are really kept. Horrific! So, it's just me and I am grateful for the happy, healthy eggs, I call them pressies, and am not concerned if they are not laying a lot. I share the pressies with my dogs and chickens, and there are always enough. I stopped eating chicken with the advent of having pet chickens.

I recently adopted 4 Coturnix quail, 3 are females. The hens are on the Purina starter feed, that is the best food for them, chick starter feed, and they are laying eggs left and right. I did get a male, which was only because I have had a seriously bad run for several years with early death. One breeder told me, Oh, it's normal for them to start dying at 10 months! These new quail are from a reputable farm in VT and I'm hoping there is enough genetic diversity to incubate maybe once or twice and get the next generation. Thankfully, Darcy 2.0 is a gentleman and I love his little crows! I had another male for nearly 5 years, whose name was Darcy, and he was just the best. That is where Darcy 2.0 comes from, this little guy reminds me of my first Darcy.

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

We used to use Purina but the birds all stopped laying, chickens and ducks, so we switched to Nutrina Naturewise. We hadn't switched for a full week and everyone was spitting eggs out. This was in 2021 or 2022, I can't remember. I think masks were still mandatory during that time.
I'm feeding the Nutrina chick starter. I'll increase the amount of starter tomorrow. I'll probably get the old morter and pestal out and grind the crumbles to a powder so it's easier to desolve in the vitamin water and the egg mash.

I emailed the breeder so she knows about Seal. I'm worried about his mother. She must not be eating the food provided or something. Hopefully, the breeder will take my message as I intended, as a heads up incase there are issue with her birds, and not an accusation. Not everyone who hatches and raises chickens can be as devoted as I can be to a deformed animal. I'm fortunate to be in my position in life and am able to be.

I love this little bird. I seriously hope he pulls through and survives. I'll do everything in my power to make sure he lives a happy life. My friend is researching prosthetics she can 3D print for him, and my husband is drawing up wheelchair plans.
I'm sure it'll end up looking more like a tank. He's been thinking of ways to turn MY power wheelchair into an off road tank.
I love it.

Oh, and I love the hubby and friend involvement in providing the best care for little Seal! While I do understand people have different priorities and such, for me, it does not matter how busy I am, if there is a special needs peep, I shift things around to provide the necessary care for as long as it's needed. I also hope the breeder responds back to you! It would be good to know just what she is doing with her chickens...

 

[Gezellige_Poes]

A thought occurred to me,... is it possible Seal is from an egg that was laid later than the others you incubated? The fact that she's so small and does not have feathers yet, it just seems like she's running several egg layings behind,...?

 

[Eggcessive]

Extra calcium should not be given to young chicks or pullets because it can cause kidney disease and gout. 1% calcium is in most chick starters and all flock feed. Many chose to feed all flock for life and put out crushed oyster shell for layers, if they have roosters or chicks on the ground.

 

[Beckys Birds]

Nutrish again for my dogs recently, as it was a good deal and the food does appear to be well formulated, but my dogs literally looked at it, sniffed it, and looked at me as if to say, Really, Mom, you expect us to eat this? And this coming from dogs!

I tried Nutrish once, when Sam's Club stopped selling their grain free chicken and vegetables. The ingredients were... ok. The problem was, it made them vomit. All four dogs. It was a vomit fest, and we did the proper food change introduction. It was a mess.

For dogs and cats specifically, I have tried everything under the sun, the most expensive to the most natural and everything inbetween. Each time, back to Purina. Both types of kibble smell freshly bbaked

My mom uses this for her dog, a standard wire haired dachshund. I'm not a fan of the corn and such in the ingredient list. It's a very expensive food for the low quality of ingredients. I'm a crazy pet food person. My small two dogs eat Orijen, and my big, old guy is on Taste of the Wild. It's a whole, long story why they are on different foods.
My cats eat another brand because my boy gets urinary crystals if the ash content is too high, and my girl has digestive issues where she vomits after eating. So, it's fun here on payday and having to order all these different foods from chewy. Thankfully, the chicken's stuff we just get from Rural King and TSC.

For chickens, I entered the world of having chickens as pets to live cruelty free from the horrors these poor birds endure. I thought I was doing good by buying cage free eggs, and then saw a video of how they are really kept. Horrific! So, it's just me and I am grateful for the happy, healthy eggs, I call them pressies, and am not concerned if they are not laying a lot. I share the pressies with my dogs and chickens, and there are always enough. I stopped eating chicken with the advent of having pet cchickens.

Yes! The horrors of the poultry industry is insane! We did the same thing with the eggs, thinking we were making better choices. Then I read about the difference in "cage free" and "free range". It's all lies!!!! And the "cage free" chicks get their beaks cut off so they don't peck each other while packed tightly into a warehouse like barn. That's disgusting! And "free range" just means they have access to one square foot (or something tiny like that) of outside space per chicken. It's just awful. The only eggs our family now eats are ours. And the only chicken we eat has been either locally raised on actual farms and homesteads that are humane, or humanely raised where I can research the conditions.

I recently adopted 4 Coturnix quail, 3 are females. The hens are on the Purina starter feed, that is the best food for them, chick starter feed, and they are laying eggs left and right. I did get a male, which was only because I have had a seriously bad run for several years with early death. One breeder told me, Oh, it's normal for them to start dying at 10 months!

Ok. That's asinine! Normal to die at 10 months? I call BS! I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's utterly heartbreaking.

These new quail are from a reputable farm in VT and I'm hoping there is enough genetic diversity to incubate maybe once or twice and get the next generation. Thankfully, Darcy 2.0 is a gentleman and I love his little crows! I had another male for nearly 5 years, whose name was Darcy, and he was just the best. That is where Darcy 2.0 comes from, this little guy reminds me of my first Darcy.

Awww! Mr. Darcy.
I hope these babies do so much better for you.

 

[Beckys Birds]

Oh, and I love the hubby and friend involvement in providing the best care for little Seal!

I'm very lucky to have a great support system. My mom asked every morning and evening for a Seal report. She is who I got my love for animals from. She always let me bring home the random stray, or weird pet type. She helped me understand pet responsibility and how they are a lifetime commitment. She was born and raised on a farm in Iowa, so there was a lot of animal husbandry in my formative years.

While I do understand people have different priorities and such, for me, it does not matter how busy I am, if there is a special needs peep, I shift things around to provide the necessary care for as long as it's nneeded.

That's how is should be, but a lot of people just don't. And some would've culled Seal from the start.

I also hope the breeder responds back to you! It would be good to know just what she is doing with her chickens...

Same. I've not heard anything yet which is saddening. She was a great resource when I was incubating.

A thought occurred to me,... is it possible Seal is from an egg that was laid later than the others you incubated? The fact that she's so small and does not have feathers yet, it just seems like she's running several egg layings behind,...?

I think he is just stunted from lack of nutrients. He's just started eating chick starter for real. He's got feathers started now, though!!

 

[Beckys Birds]

Extra calcium should not be given to young chicks or pullets because it can cause kidney disease and gout. 1% calcium is in most chick starters and all flock feed. Many chose to feed all flock for life and put out crushed oyster shell for layers, if they have roosters or chicks on the ground.

That is what we normally use, the All Flock and have free choice oyster shell.