Baby chick with crooked leg

[Tiffy316]

I tried remaking the chick sling with fleece stretched over a small basket with leg and poop holes. Either the basket was too short, ir the fleece was too stretchy. She tried to escape from that as well. I only just recently learned that their feet shouldn't be able to touch the ground when using a sling. I'm going it try a taller basket next time, and possibly a thinner piece of fleece. If that doesn't work, I might change the material.

 

[Tiffy316]

I also noticed that it seems to he easier for her to walk without the wood shavings on the floor. I cleaned the chick box out a little bc they kept stirring up a lot of dust, and it was making my allergies flare up. Now it's just the plywood floor, and the little bit of bedding that I couldn't remove. She still seems to have trouble walking around, but I think that wrapping her leg with some self adhesive bandages might help. Please let me know if you have any notes about the chick sling design. It will definitely help me modify it and make it better. I used fleece, a small plastic basket, and duct tape to secure it to the basket. Thanks.

 

[Tiffy316]

They're about 2 months old now, and she's still the same size. IDK if she'll get any bigger than she is now. She tends to get cold easier than her sisters bc she's not as feathered out as them yet, but otherwise, she's doing fine.

 

[Tiffy316]

Tonight I noticed that she had some sores on her head, so I decided to separate her from the other chicks. I applied some Neosporin, and gave her some dinner. Despite being a bit lethargic before I took her in to doctor her, she did eat. She's currently in a large dog crate with a folded piece of fleece inside. I might have to permanently keep her separated, even if I don't like the idea of it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Gosh I am sorry that I haven’t kept up with your thread, and no one else has been responding. I just had not seen it. Have you tried the sling idea again recently? I had a hen who I made a sling for and she would not tolerate it because it was not deep enough to keep her feet off the floor.

She is not thriving or growing because she is probably not getting as much food. She may need some extra heat until she can grow more feathers. Unfortunately not thriving and growing is common with chicks with leg deformities. I hope she will survive, but it may come down to how much time you can spend with her. She could have her own dog crate in the coop with the other chickens for company, but she make get hurt by them if she is running around. Chickens are bullies to disabled chickens generally.

 

[Tiffy316]

This is the first time that I noticed the sores. I don't think she's being bullied. There was some blood on my barred rock chicks foot. She probably made the sores by accident when she stepped on her. She accidentally steps on her sometimes.

When you say dog crate, do you mean the carriers, or the wired ones that people keep their dogs in overnight. How would I keep extra heat in a crate like that?

 

[Tiffy316]

I put them outside and put Limpy butt in an old rabbit cage so she's separated from her sisters while her sores heal. They can see and hear each other. There's a large hole in the screen on the barn window. I'm probably gonna put them up in the chick box at night till they get used to being outdoors. Her sisters don't bully her, they just accidently stepped on her and made a sore. She's doing well again. I think she felt better after being doctored and fed.

 

[Eggcessive]

I do prefer the wire dog crates so they can see each other well. Of course you have to place a feed bag or something on top in case the others hop up on the top which they will do. I would try the chicken sling again at intervals, but make the sling out of less stretchy fabric. Using the sling for eating and drinking and then letting her out often to move around and sleep would be good. I hope that she thrives, but it may be more difficult for her to get enough to eat and drink. Here is a pic of the chick with the 3 D printer leg:

 

[Tiffy316]

So keep her in a sling all day with food and water bowls attached, and let her run around the barn with her sisters, or just taking her out so she can run around the crate?

 

[Tiffy316]

I generally let her run around on her own in the chick box. I'm still working on a chicken wheelchair, though I doubt I should leave her in it all day. I'm gonna see if I can find something soft to line the rabbit cage with, and bring her inside for the nights to doctor her and feed her.

I'm not sure if I should let my other chicks walk around in the barn all the time, or put them back in the chick box at night. The lows are in the 60's to 55 degrees. Highs in the 70's and 80's. I closed off the outdoor part of the barn bc it still needs repair, but they have quite a large space to run around in the barn. My only concern is the hole in the window screen, but I intend to get something to patch it.

The barn has the chick box, nesting boxes, a chicken rack for them to roost on, and a door that leads to the outdoor part.