3-week old chick with a bad leg - any advice please

[pennyJo1960]

I did not think you had to until your ready okay

 

[ManueB]

I think you should leave it open, I would love to hear some more news from Bernadette, the brave little hen-bear . Especially when it's time for integration. But maybe it would be be better to open a new post in an other forum as we're not talking emergencies / disease anymore .

 

[RoyalChick]

Injury as the cause of Bernadette’s issues just went way up the list.
Hen-bear (love that!) is a complete daredevil. None of my safety measures are worth a damn. She has a real need for speed and height.
Here she is at about 4’ off the ground at the highest point. Closer to 6’ at the other end. She is examining some beams/rafters with an eye to going up to investigate them (that is 8’ up).

Just as she seems to give up on the idea and looks about to jump down to the little platform about a foot below, she takes a running leap off the branch and tries unsuccessfully to reach the ceiling.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Injury as the cause of Bernadette’s issues just went way up the list.
Hen-bear (love that!) is a complete daredevil. None of my safety measures are worth a damn. She has a real need for speed and height.
Here she is at about 4’ off the ground at the highest point. Closer to 6’ at the other end. She is examining some beams/rafters with an eye to going up to investigate them (that is 8’ up).

View attachment 3074312

Just as she seems to give up on the idea and looks about to jump down to the little platform about a foot below, she takes a running leap off the branch and tries unsuccessfully to reach the ceiling.

So the question I've been thinking since your last picture post is, how is her flying? Sounds like she can't climb far yet, but her flying will help her landings. At a certain point, how much flapping one does gives you a certain speed limit in a descent and a helpful brake in landing, and the height doesn't matter as long as you can keep flapping. How is her aim?

What kind of chicken is she? Is she a Roadrunner? A known flyer?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

So the question I've been thinking since your last picture post is, how is her flying? Sounds like she can't climb far yet, but her flying will help her landings. At a certain point, how much flapping one does gives you a certain speed limit in a descent and a helpful brake in landing, and the height doesn't matter as long as you can keep flapping. How is her aim?

What kind of chicken is she? Is she a Roadrunner? A known flyer?

Bernadette, The Flying Hen-Bear

 

[RoyalChick]

So the question I've been thinking since your last picture post is, how is her flying? Sounds like she can't climb far yet, but her flying will help her landings. At a certain point, how much flapping one does gives you a certain speed limit in a descent and a helpful brake in landing, and the height doesn't matter as long as you can keep flapping. How is her aim?

What kind of chicken is she? Is she a Roadrunner? A known flyer?

Her flying seems pretty good. It is her flight planning that is a bit wanting!
She can get about 2' of vertical lift from a standing start and her flight down from just over 4' didn't seem overly stressful on landing.
She is not a flying breed - she is a Welbar (essentially a Welsummer with a barred gene) - but I guess she is a flying chick!
Lulu who is a Legbar and therefore I would expect to be a flying chicken like my other Legbars is much more cautious. Her flying ability is just fine, but she thinks about it beforehand much more than Bernadette-the-flying-hen-bear!

 

[MaryJanet]

Injury as the cause of Bernadette’s issues just went way up the list.
Hen-bear (love that!) is a complete daredevil. None of my safety measures are worth a damn. She has a real need for speed and height.
Here she is at about 4’ off the ground at the highest point. Closer to 6’ at the other end. She is examining some beams/rafters with an eye to going up to investigate them (that is 8’ up).

View attachment 3074312

Just as she seems to give up on the idea and looks about to jump down to the little platform about a foot below, she takes a running leap off the branch and tries unsuccessfully to reach the ceiling.

Well, I'm glad you're stepping down the vitamins

Seriously, this is wonderful news! Go Bernie-bear!

 

[Ponypoor]

Injury as the cause of Bernadette’s issues just went way up the list.
Hen-bear (love that!) is a complete daredevil. None of my safety measures are worth a damn. She has a real need for speed and height.
Here she is at about 4’ off the ground at the highest point. Closer to 6’ at the other end. She is examining some beams/rafters with an eye to going up to investigate them (that is 8’ up).

View attachment 3074312

Just as she seems to give up on the idea and looks about to jump down to the little platform about a foot below, she takes a running leap off the branch and tries unsuccessfully to reach the ceiling.
View attachment 3074315

What a little character! Sooooo glad she is thriving

 

[RoyalChick]

Well I guess it isn't over 'till it is over.
After Bernadette was walking normally I tailed off the vitamin supplements.
Now she has started to go backwards. This time it is her right leg that is the problem. She has started holding it forward with the toes stretched out which is what she did with her left leg when I first noticed her limping.
I have restarted the vitamin supplements and I am just hoping that is the cause and that it corrects itself like it does with her left leg.

Poor little Bernadette - it is sad to see her back on her hocks most of the time.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well I guess it isn't over 'till it is over.
After Bernadette was walking normally I tailed off the vitamin supplements.
Now she has started to go backwards. This time it is her right leg that is the problem. She has started holding it forward with the toes stretched out which is what she did with her left leg when I first noticed her limping.
I have restarted the vitamin supplements and I am just hoping that is the cause and that it corrects itself like it does with her left leg.

Poor little Bernadette - it is sad to see her back on her hocks most of the time.

Poor Bernadette! Am hoping too that the same fix will help her. I wonder if she is going to be dependent on these extras in her diet for the foreseeable future. Maybe give her higher doses these next couple of days to jump start things?