Baby chick walks like penguin please help!

[soliloquie]

My head hurts from all the reading I have been doing. Nothing seems to fit exactly. I have a just three week Faverolle that is having leg problems. They seem to lock straight back and then shehe walks around on the lower part of the leg. I tried to do the bandaid splint but the chick was able to push its butt between the splint and get stuck unable to move at all. It also was so mad at it it wouldn't stop trying to tear it off. I took it off after about 45 min. It did seem to help a little. I am now able to help it stand upright but when I ease it into the proper position I feel clicking or popping- I'm not pushing hard. It is able to walk/ hobble around in the proper position but it's legs seem a little too straight and eventually stumbles and goes back to penguin walking. I've been exercising the legs and trying to get it to use its legs properly. It's extra sleepy with slightly loose stool but otherwise no other symptoms. I think the last two are to be expected because it has to work so hard to eat and drink. Doesn't seem to be in pain. Was thinking possibly started as a malnutrition issue from it being a little runty at the store but has moved on to something else. I saw it the day before I picked it up and was walking normally. I've been supplementing with ploy vi sol the past two days and they have electrolytes and vits in their water. Also gave some scrambled egg. At three weeks highly doubt it's egg bound and legs don't look scaley so don't think it's mites. I've had them about a week other chick is feisty and fit. Insight anyone?? My head is spinning!

 

[soliloquie]

I'm going to try re splinting with a rubber band. So frustrating but knowing for sure. Anyone with ideas??

 

[R.M.Qureshi]

I have the same problem but could not find any solution so far.

 

[soliloquie]

I'm sorry I just saw this. I hope your's turned out better than mine. I was able to find some ideas online to make chick slings out of cottage cheese containers and a sock to support him (I now believe he was a rooster) while I kept his legs taped in their proper place. I gave poly-v-sol supplements. I think he was a runt or the other chicks could tell he was different and so he wasn't able to get enough nutrients at the store. He did start walking normally after about three days. Unfortunately I left him out of his sling, as his legs were stronger and he would tip it over and struggle around, and when I came down the next morning I found him dead. I suspect he either choked himself on a perch I had for them in their box or had a seizure. Either way I am glad for his short time here. I had almost all of my chicks do the stargazing thing at the same time for some curious reason and because of all the research I had done I believe he helped me return all the subsequent chicks to normalcy. I really am sorry for not responding sooner. I am really frustrated that the few posts I put on this forum never seem to get a response and I always feel like I'm alone on here. I am so sorry if I left you hanging.

 

[whisper05]

I currently have a 2 month old Std. Dark Brahma chick with these same symptoms the penguin stature, I have straightened his legs out but his pulls them back in the same position, the first time I did it they popped but his head feathers are fluffed and his pupils constantly dialate, have not found any information anywhere but here. My chick was fine, then all of a sudden he had the same symptoms as the above mentioned chick, I thought he had broke his leg or got a toe caught in the wire. I started giving 1cc of Nutri-drench and been hand feeding the Rickets Diet, along with chick starter and electrolyte water. He will eat/drink on his own but seems to try to get on top of the food bowl so I hold him back from it and he will eat vigorously. Im wondering if he has a vitamin def? I have raised many chicks but never come across this before, he was hatched under a hen and none of the other chicks from this hatch have these symptoms.

 

[soliloquie]

Most of what I found leads me to suspect it was a vit d deficiency. It doesn't seem very common or I think more people would be on it. I was feeding an all grain starter and I dont think they were eating the vitamin parts of the food. I used the baby vit with out iron and the sling but I think he had more wrong with him because he was left untreated at the feed store- I brought him home despite the leg problem and he probably had too much damage but all the others I started as soon symptoms occourd and they recovered with in hours. I didn't witness mine having a fluffed head or eyes dilating. I was reading that there could be a seizure side effect if not treated in time. Is yours eliminating normally? I have found the chicken health handbook the most useful although a bit overwhelming at times. Good luck!