6 day old chick limping but can walk

[chickory]

hi. i ordered 5 chicks and they all arrived well. then yesterday, one chick started limping. they have a brooder at the correct temp, starter crumbles and pine shaving bedding. i have read some other posts about this problem - there is no visible sign of injury and the toes are not curled under. in fact, taken out of the brooder she can walk pretty good. when i separated her -she walked back and forth trying to get to the other chicks but then when returned to the brooder or put with another chick in her pen, she walks a little and then flops over on her side. she seems to hold the bad foot out. she is panting at times -its not too hot. also she is eating and drinking.

its sunday night so i cant get the electrolytes/ vitamins until tomorrow.

i saw a discussion of making a chick shoe but no illustration was visible. does anybody know exactly how to make one? any advise? this chick is a belgium antwerp that i bought from my pet chicken. thank you

 

[jenni2142]

How long did you keep her separated? It seems very odd that she would be fine outside of brooder. Chick shoe is used for curled toes, I don't think that would help.

 

[chickory]

thank you so much for your reply!!!

there are two pens and the heat lamp straddles them. i have two thermometers and one is at 95 the other 93. i put a fuzzy small stuffed animal with hurt chick and she is snuggled into it and stopped peeping.

i put a towel in for the flooring and took out the shavings. the traction seems better. when i take her out she seems to walk okay for a bit and then just flops down. i looked at the photos of splayed legs - i dont think thats it. there are no cuts or swollen areas. yesterday she held the foot up today she struggles to walk. lays on her side in an odd way.

i fed her some boiled egg and she took it. she takes water too.

i just cannot imagine what could have happened!! any ideas?

 

[chickory]

i mean, my husband and i got a magnifying glass out and looked cant see anything. its as if a toe is broken or sprained or something. should i try and splint it? or just wait and see? i worry about her being alone. this is so sad. she is only 10 days old.

 

[jenni2142]

Was she vaccinated for Merek's? If you do a search I think there are vitamin treatments that can help. There seems to be a lot of posts lately for it. I don't have any experience with it but if what you find in the searches sound like your chick maybe it would help to edit the title. The more specific the title the more help you tend to get. If nothing else this gives you a bump so someone else might see.

 

[chickory]

success! i had a week old chick limping badly- falling over and not wanting to move. i read through lots of previous posts about what it might be and what to do. i didnt think it was a disease -looked like an injury to me - no scrapes or anything visible so i thought it might be a sprain.

i am happy to report that she is fine now. heres what i did:

separated her to her own pen with stuffed animal that she loved cuddling with; i gave her boiled eggs and water fortified with electrolytes and vitamins. after a few days she improved. now she is back in the pen with the other chicks and boisterous and full of life.

im posting this in case somebody else finds themselves in this same situation and needs good news and a possible game plan.