Advice Wanted: Baby Chick Having Trouble Walking

[hume227]

We are first-time chick owners and Captain Phasma, our Ameraucana chick, is having trouble walking. She lays around and sleeps much more than the other chicks (but she does get up on occasion for food and water). She seems to be limping and hopping around gingerly when she does move. She also seems to be breathing a bit heavier than other chicks (based on her body movement when laying and breathing). We are giving her water mixed with electrolytes and vitamins. We have five chicks and we put her in a smaller bin last night with one of the calmer chicks so that the rowdy chicks don't bother her. We are hoping if she can rest, her legs will get better.

She [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588)]is about 6 days old. Also, she often sticks out her leg when she is sleeping.[/COLOR]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

 

[PD-Riverman]

We are first-time chick owners and Captain Phasma, our Ameraucana chick, is having trouble walking. She lays around and sleeps much more than the other chicks (but she does get up on occasion for food and water). She seems to be limping and hopping around gingerly when she does move. She also seems to be breathing a bit heavier than other chicks (based on her body movement when laying and breathing). We are giving her water mixed with electrolytes and vitamins. We have five chicks and we put her in a smaller bin last night with one of the calmer chicks so that the rowdy chicks don't bother her. We are hoping if she can rest, her legs will get better.

She [COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588)]is about 6 days old. Also, she often sticks out her leg when she is sleeping.[/COLOR]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

I hatch a lot and do have a problem with a chick walking or crooked leg at times. I do not have a answer with what you can do to help. My concern is with your set-up----Always remember you heat one end of your brooder only so the chicks can get away from the heat----don't allow their food and water to be in the heated area. Think of the brooder heat as a mother hen-----the chicks run get under the heat----warm then run and eat and play in the colder area. I have raised 1000's and 1000's and have never used a heat lamp---for sure not with the plastic totes. I use the same type bulb holder but with small totes I drop the light inside the tote a few inches of the floor on one end with a 25 or 40 or 60 watt bulb(what ever it takes to get that end warm enough for the chicks) and it works great----not only is it better, saves a lot of electricity. Good Luck

 

[Crazy Chicken Lady TN]

I'm new to the board and was curious how your chick turned out? I recently purchased some new chicks to add to my flock and one appears to have the same walking problem yours was having (even stretching out one leg and favoring her left side to lay on). Due to her slow movement, she was severely pecked yesterday so I had to remove her from the group (even her baby siblings were attacking her). So now while her head is healing, I'm wondering what I can do to help her improve her leg strength.