5 week old chick can not walk, Please Help!

sekinkead

Songster
10 Years
Oct 12, 2009
411
0
109
Central Ohio
1) What type of bird , age and weight. 5 week old Buckeye chick, not sure of weight, can get it if needed
2) What is the behavior, exactly. she just lays around. She will eat if you put food in front of here and she scoots herself around. She also has 1 foot that is really curled, I tried boots but they kept coming off. The other foot is a little curled but seems better after the boot was on for a couple of days.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? For about 4 or 5 days now.
4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. none that I can see
5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Nothing that I can think of. Maybe some rough housing with the other chicks
6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Yes, if you put it in front of her she eats and drinks fine
7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. normal looking poop, no blood, not runny
8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? I added avia charge to her water for the last week since I noticed the problem. She has been getting scrambled egg and yogurt almost every day as well
9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? I would like to treat her myself if I can. There aren't any avian vets around
10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. see below
11) Describe the housing/bedding in use Pine shavings, she is in a big rubbermaid tote by herself right now

She doesn't get up and walk at all now. She will drink if you put her in front of the water and she will eat if you put it in front of her. She had some poop stuck to her a couple of nights ago and I gave her a little bath and wrapped her up in a towel and she was calm and tried to wiggle her legs. She has some movement it just doesn't seem like she can stand up.

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Poor girl! Sounds like you are doing all the right things. I would go ahead and get some poly-vi-sol (without iron) and give her three drops beside her beak for a few days, so you know she is getting her vitamins. Is it possible that she got pecked in the head? Feed and water her as often as you can, and keep us posted on her condition.
 
I do have the poly-vi-sol, but isn't the avia charge just as good or does it have something more? She seems to be losing weight now and I don't know what to do for her.
 
She is drinking ok now. I just have to pick her up and clean her vent several times a day. She has been eating out of the same bag of food as the other 7 and they are fine. I just wish I knew what was wrong with her and how to treat it. I hate losing chicks especially at this point when I have started to get attached. I will add some of the poly-vi-sol to her water and see if that helps. She loves the egg and yogurt when I give it to her.
 
Please don't put the poly-vi-sol in the water--if you put in as much as she should have, the water will taste awful and she won't want to drink it! By giving it to her by beak, you know she is getting the right amount. If she is eating and drinking okay, then she is doing well at this point. How is her leg movement doing?
 
I took her out of her brooder last night and did some chickie physical therapy
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. I massaged her legs and very gently moved them around. She seems to be moving them better but still can not stand up and is not keeping her legs under her she just splays them out behind her like in the pics. I will just water her with the syringe and keep giving her regular water in her waterer. I don't know how long I should let this go on if she doesn't seem to get better.
 
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I think you know the answer
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If it was me, I would put her down in the next few days if she cannot stand under her own power. Keep doing chick therapy for a few day but if its been a week and shes not getting any better, its probably time to let her go. I'm so sorry.
 
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Yep, thats what I figure as well. I just want to make sure I do everything I can to rehabilitate her. I know that won't make it any easier but maybe it will ease the guilt a little.
 
Sounds like you are being a wonderful momma hen. My silver laced wyandotte was exhibiting the same behavior. I did all the same steps you are doing. Due passed last night. I feel better knowing I idea everything I could. We were prepared to cull her this morning.
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