Baby chick can’t walk

[littlepip]

My 3 week old Sapphire Gem chick had a rough first few weeks of her life and couldn’t walk at all. After supplementing vitamins and electrolytes she could walk almost normally for about 4 days. Now, she’s sticking one leg out as if it hurts and won’t put her weight on it, instead hobbling around or propelling herself into a forward stumble quickly to move. She’s still on the vitamins, so I’m not sure what changed! It doesn’t seem to pain her for me to rotate the leg inwards, but for the life of her she can’t stand normally on it. I’m worried she’s declining, even though she’s eating and drinking fine and is just as rambunctious in terms of peeping/straining her neck to look around.

 

[Debbie292d]

I've got a 4-day old chick exactly like this.

Giving her 1/4 eyedropper of liquid B-complex each day = to 1/4 of a human B-complex pill.

I bound its legs with Vet Wrap for two days, changing it a few times, but that leg works the wrap up to the thigh. It was not improving.

I've dealt with splayed legs many times, but this one is tough. We did some physical therapy making it stand on both legs, for about 15 minutes three times today.

Tonight, she seems to be standing fine, but when taking a step, that leg juts out, except now, she's pulling it in.

I do not know if binding the legs with Vet Wrap would help yours or not. We're letting this one walk around on horse bedding pellets now which seems to help her get a grip and she's pulling her leg in.

What about a chick chair? That would make their legs by gravity, hang straight down, or if allowed to touch the floor, hopefully exercise both legs and not just one.

Here's a post of chick chairs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

We have one made from the top four inches cut off the top of a kitty litter bucket, then clamped a piece of a sheet across it, and cut two holes for its legs. Perhaps one hole for the bad leg so they have to use it, and can sit on the other one?

 

[littlepip]

I've got a 4-day old chick exactly like this.

Giving her 1/4 eyedropper of liquid B-complex each day = to 1/4 of a human B-complex pill.

I bound its legs with Vet Wrap for two days, changing it a few times, but that leg works the wrap up to the thigh. It was not improving.

I've dealt with splayed legs many times, but this one is tough. We did some physical therapy making it stand on both legs, for about 15 minutes three times today.

Tonight, she seems to be standing fine, but when taking a step, that leg juts out, except now, she's pulling it in.

I do not know if binding the legs with Vet Wrap would help yours or not. We're letting this one walk around on horse bedding pellets now which seems to help her get a grip and she's pulling her leg in.

What about a chick chair? That would make their legs by gravity, hang straight down, or if allowed to touch the floor, hopefully exercise both legs and not just one.

Here's a post of chick chairs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

We have one made from the top four inches cut off the top of a kitty litter bucket, then clamped a piece of a sheet across it, and cut two holes for its legs. Perhaps one hole for the bad leg so they have to use it, and can sit on the other one?

I’ve wrapped her leg before but it seemed to make her so uncomfortable I felt bad and took it off. With her legs unwrapped she at least tries to stand and move, but when wrapped she only sits and doesn’t move at all. I will try again today, and maybe have her walk around on a towel she can grip with her feet to see if it makes a difference.