8 days old Welsumer chicks. Odd crouching hopping smallest chick

[altubury]

Hi All,
This is my first question as all of my previous questions have been answered by the wealth of info elsewhere on the site!
So far hatching and brooding of my Welsumers has been smooth apart from one little lady!

So far she was weak at hatch and ended up with splayed legs. We treated with elastic band and straw splint. Perfect success and she has been walkin fine up until now. She has always been the smallest of the brood but feisty!

Just today she has had a strange behaviour, crouching, almost siting to the floor she hops in a circle like a mechanical toy with her head to one side. When we give her any attention she stands up and walks normally. The other chicks seem to peck her when she does this.

Is it a problem and do I need to do anything?

Thank you for your interest and input


Dan and Serena.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Just saying, but a reduced growth rate and difficulty walking are signs of Mareks Disease.

 

[azygous]

I don't know what might be wrong, but a hunch tells me something may be beginning to go wrong. if it were my chick, I would get some Poultry Nutri-drench and begin treating it immediately. It could be a nutrient imbalance that manifests in difficulty walking.

It can't hurt her to do this. I would play it safe.

 

[altubury]

Thank you Golden Feather,
Is this something I can buy at the pet shop that sells the food?

 

[azygous]

Yes. It's wonderful stuff. Unlike regular baby vitamins like Poly-vi-sol, it absorbs directly into the blood stream, providing immediate benefits.

If you can't find it, get the baby vites without iron and start the chick on that. Order the Poultry Nutri-drench over the internet. Amazon would have it. Then use it as soon as you get it.

 

[altubury]

Here is a video of what she is doing....

 

[LLCoyote]

She's taking a dust bash in this video. Which is totally natural. It's also adorable.

 

[azygous]

Was that the behavior you were so worried about? Flopping over on her side, pecking the sand, splaying her wings and tossing sand up under them with her feet?

As LLCoyote stated, she's taking a dirt bath. I see nothing in her behavior that is abnormal or should be cause for alarm.

Is she the only chick so far doing that? Is so, the others should be doing it also by now.

 

[Kylea0219]

Dust bath. It's how they clean them selves. I'm surprised she's the only one doing it. So cute. She looks healthy.

 

[altubury]

Yes she is the only one doing, thats what caused us to be worried! We are rookies at this

We gave them the sand because we wondered if thats what she wanted, she used it but the others just made cool footprints.

We will try to encourage the others to do the same!

Thanks