Baby chick problem standing/walking???

[Fishman43]

One of my barred rock chicks I recieved last Wednesday (so 7 days old today), today isn't able to stand up or walk around. It seems to not have control of it's legs, instead it sits on the ground like it is sleeping but peeps and doesn't move much. When I went to pick it up, it flopped around flapping his wings a little bit with not much control of it's legs. In all other ways it seems fine, it has started to fledge wing and tail feathers, it has gotten around fine until now (in fact the barred rocks have been the fastest and hardest to catch up to this point). I should add that the chicks are on pine shavings and this isn't where the legs get splayed out from a slippery surface.

Can anyone please help with what is wrong with my chick, and what I can do to help?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Fishman43]

Bumping this up to keep it near the top, I am concerned about this chick and would like to help it if I can.

 

[Fishman43]

I checked on the chick this morning and it is still alive, and still not able to stand or walk around normally. Does anyone have any thoughts on why, or ideas of how to help?

 

[FMAFarms]

Were your chicks on just pine shavings from the very start? This could indeed contribute to splayed legs. The pine shavings by themselves don't offer enough of a gripping surface for chicks to properly develop their leg muscles. There just isn't enough traction. Paper towels or fine wire mesh over the shavings for the first week or so allows the chicks to build up those crucial muscles.

At this point, I would treat for splayed leg. Use a band aid that gently but firmly wraps around the chick's legs and help stand her up. She might sit on her rear end a lot the first day that she's taped, but by the second day you should start to see an improvement. Good luck!

 

[Fishman43]

Thank you for the reply. So splayed legs can happen even after 6 days of running around on the shavings? I also have a few larger sticks (1-2") propped up on the ground in the brooder that the chicks have been roosting on. I will try to tape up her legs and see if that helps. I am now going to use the search function for treating splayed legs, but any good threads or help with pictures of how to treat it would be appreciated.

Thank you again for the reply!

 

[Fishman43]

I found some directions and photos for treating splayed legs, and I plan on trying the bandaids just as soon as I can get home from the office. My concern is that the birds in the photos with splayed legs have them out to the sides, my chick seems to have one or the other leg out in front of its body. I will try the hobble none the less, but does this sound like a splayed leg problem?

Boy is it ever frustrating to feel so ignorant of the problems and needs of these little birds!

 

[Fishman43]

I hobbled the chick last night with a bandaid cut in half length wise as I saw when searching through the forum. By this morning the chick seemed to be able to stand on one foot slightly better, but the other leg is still projecting out in front of the chick's body. The bandaid seems to keep it pulled back slightly better than without, but it hasn't solved the issue yet. The bandaid does seem to make it harder for the bird to get around (think of your shoe laces tied together), so I hope it is able to get food and water and not face plant and drown in the waterer.

 

[mckev1]

I seem to be in a similar situation. Did this work?

 

[acsinos]

I seem to be in a similar situation. Did this work?

I have chicks that are almost 4 weeks old and one started displaying what looked like splayed leg the other day. He had been fine till now. Any thoughts what would cause this at 4 weeks?

 

[mckev1]

Sorry but I do not. Hope things got better.