7 week old chick gets down and can't get back up

[gonechickcrazy]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I went to feed my chicks tonight and noticed that one of my Ameraucanas was down in the corner of the box. We have not complete our coop so they are still in a very very large box in our basement. The all have been doing just great, eating and drinking a lot. This chick was laying on its side and I nudged it it get up and it just lays there. I picked it up and it started flapping its wings trying to get away. It ended up flying out of my hands and started running to the other chicks, so I thought everything was fine until now. I went to check on them and again found the same chick down. If you pick the chick up it will stand and walk around but if it stops its like its right side gives out and it starts to fall over. I just don't know what is going on. Can anyone please tell me what to do?

UpDate -- I still have no clue what is going on with this chick. I can check on it one minute and its fine, then I can check on it again and it laying on its back and can't get up. Please look at the picture below and see if you can tell me what's wrong with it. I checked it's feet and didn't see anything wrong with them or its legs.

 

[LynneP]

I'm not sure if your chick is spraddled, it seems to be a little old, but you might want to check this:
http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

Do you notice anything else that might help the experienced poultry people here to assist you?

 

[JustChicky]

I have a chick that does the same thing. It is 5 1/2 weeks old and the biggest chick I have. It just sits and eats in the brooder. When I take them outside to play, it sits down but it doesn't stay sitting for long. It will follow me around and take short flights. They all love to be outside.

Have you taken them outside yet? Maybe that would help.

I was worried that they would run away, so when they were younger I had them in a little pen. But yesterday I took them all out and just let them roam in the yard. Half of them went back into the workshop and the other half went under their favorite tree. One went under our tractor lawnmower and took a nap

. Well, when the chicks that were inside saw the chicks under the tree having fun, they all went out under the tree.