oregonchicken
Hatching
- Apr 4, 2017
- 4
- 0
- 7
Hello -
On Saturday, I found my 5 week old Polish chick in the brooder unable to stand/walk and getting jumped on by the others. I brought her inside, away from the others. She is currently eating (non-medicated starter feed) and drinking normally. She was pretty lethargic all day Saturday and Sunday morning, but has grown more and more alert. She'll follow me with her eyes while I walk around the tub she's in and has begun chirping more frequently. Thinking it could be a vitamin deficiency, I have added electrolytes and probiotics to her water and sprinkled some probiotics on her food, as well. Her poop is normal in consistency and color.
I have looked at both of her tendons and they both look like they're in place, although one looks slightly swollen in comparison to the other. She lays on both of her legs (similar to how a broody hen lays in the nesting box) and both of her feet lie flat (not curled up). If I pick her up and set her down, she uses both her wings for support on either side, but face plants into her bedding (dry den pellets). After a minute or two, she'll lift her head up and tuck her wings back in. I have seen her push herself around a little bit using her wings and it looks like she tries to use her legs, but they look very weak.
Yesterday, I made her a "chick chair" using a square plastic planter (what your plants come in from the store) with a towel draped in the inside and the bottom cut off. I taped the edges of the towel, so it doesn't fall down. I cut two leg holes in the towel, so I could pull her legs through and they could be straightened. Her legs cannot touch the ground when she's in the chair (although, I've read mixed reviews on whether or not they should be able to touch the ground). She'll sit in there for a minute or two, then flap her wings and manage to push herself out of the chair and fall forward. I have only done this with her under my supervision, so she can't face plant from 6 inches off the ground.I thought about securing the chair to the surface of the table, but I think she has enough strength in her wings that she'd still be able to push herself out of the chair.
Since the chair wasn't working well (with her pushing herself out every time), I decided to put her back in her tub with a rolled towel around her to form a doughnut shape to give her some support. She seems to like this and stays put, although she doesn't have much more room, if any, to stretch her legs. The doughnut does allow her to stay upright though and she can still stretch her wings and access her food/water. I'm just worried about her getting muscle atrophy in her legs if she's laying on them all the time. I'm thinking of creating more of a sling for her when I get home today, so she can't push herself out with her wings. I found this image that I was going to try and replicate (this is not my chick - just an image I found on BYC):
I'm hoping this is vitamin deficiency and I can get her back on track within the next few weeks. I'm just worried about her bone growth while she doesn't have much mobility and is constantly laying down. Could this be something else (slipped tendon, coccidiosis)? Should I be alternating her from laying to standing? If so, how many times a day and for how long? I'm not sure if I should tape/wrap her hock joints, so she can't bend them while she's in the chair/sling?
Any advice is much appreciated! I have been losing sleep over this and have probably done close to 6 hours of research trying to find a solution. I'd hate to have to put her down, especially now that she has been more alert than before.
THANK YOU!
On Saturday, I found my 5 week old Polish chick in the brooder unable to stand/walk and getting jumped on by the others. I brought her inside, away from the others. She is currently eating (non-medicated starter feed) and drinking normally. She was pretty lethargic all day Saturday and Sunday morning, but has grown more and more alert. She'll follow me with her eyes while I walk around the tub she's in and has begun chirping more frequently. Thinking it could be a vitamin deficiency, I have added electrolytes and probiotics to her water and sprinkled some probiotics on her food, as well. Her poop is normal in consistency and color.
I have looked at both of her tendons and they both look like they're in place, although one looks slightly swollen in comparison to the other. She lays on both of her legs (similar to how a broody hen lays in the nesting box) and both of her feet lie flat (not curled up). If I pick her up and set her down, she uses both her wings for support on either side, but face plants into her bedding (dry den pellets). After a minute or two, she'll lift her head up and tuck her wings back in. I have seen her push herself around a little bit using her wings and it looks like she tries to use her legs, but they look very weak.
Yesterday, I made her a "chick chair" using a square plastic planter (what your plants come in from the store) with a towel draped in the inside and the bottom cut off. I taped the edges of the towel, so it doesn't fall down. I cut two leg holes in the towel, so I could pull her legs through and they could be straightened. Her legs cannot touch the ground when she's in the chair (although, I've read mixed reviews on whether or not they should be able to touch the ground). She'll sit in there for a minute or two, then flap her wings and manage to push herself out of the chair and fall forward. I have only done this with her under my supervision, so she can't face plant from 6 inches off the ground.I thought about securing the chair to the surface of the table, but I think she has enough strength in her wings that she'd still be able to push herself out of the chair.
Since the chair wasn't working well (with her pushing herself out every time), I decided to put her back in her tub with a rolled towel around her to form a doughnut shape to give her some support. She seems to like this and stays put, although she doesn't have much more room, if any, to stretch her legs. The doughnut does allow her to stay upright though and she can still stretch her wings and access her food/water. I'm just worried about her getting muscle atrophy in her legs if she's laying on them all the time. I'm thinking of creating more of a sling for her when I get home today, so she can't push herself out with her wings. I found this image that I was going to try and replicate (this is not my chick - just an image I found on BYC):
I'm hoping this is vitamin deficiency and I can get her back on track within the next few weeks. I'm just worried about her bone growth while she doesn't have much mobility and is constantly laying down. Could this be something else (slipped tendon, coccidiosis)? Should I be alternating her from laying to standing? If so, how many times a day and for how long? I'm not sure if I should tape/wrap her hock joints, so she can't bend them while she's in the chair/sling?
Any advice is much appreciated! I have been losing sleep over this and have probably done close to 6 hours of research trying to find a solution. I'd hate to have to put her down, especially now that she has been more alert than before.
THANK YOU!
