Baby isn't doing good

[lswatson111304]

My baby silkie that I had to assist hatch yesterday isn't doing well. Its leg is messed up, so I put a bandaid splint on it. He seemed upright for a while, but now he stands, and then flops down and lays there. He has no instinct to eat or drink at all. I've tried to use a dropper to give him vitamin/electrolyte water. It looks like his tongue doesn't want to drink though. I don't know. I feel helpless, how can I help him when he is doing nothing natural for him? This is exactly the way it was with the other chicks a few weeks back that had bad legs. I had 2 of them and both had no natural instinct to eat or drink. Their legs got worse and DH had to put them down. This is the ONLY silkie that hatched and its killing me.
ETA I had to help him because he was sticky and I don't think he could have ever got out of all that goop.

 

[artsyrobin]

can you try dripping some egg yolk into him mouth or tip of beak?

 

[lswatson111304]

raw egg yolk or cooked egg yolk? I guess I always assumed I was supposed to feed them cooked egg yolk, is raw ok?

 

[artsyrobin]

sorry, just got back online, i would use raw, seeing as he just hatched and needs what he is accustomed to

 

[artsyrobin]

here is a recipe that a friend recommends in these cases

one chick
2 tsp of dry crumble feed
3 tsp of milk
1 tsp of yoguart
and cut a 400 mg vitE capsule and put it in the wet mash
do this twice a week for her or them
this will help her to get some help in the body dept

i am thinking make it into a gruel, easier to get to him​

 

[lswatson111304]

Thank you. I think we are going to have to put him down though. Things are really bad. Now both of his legs go behind him he can't move at all.

 

[artsyrobin]

is he responsive at all?

 

[lswatson111304]

You know, my husband wants to give him more time. I am trying to figure out how to make him a chick chair till he is a little stronger. He can't move but he is peeping away. I try to get him to take in fluids and he will, but anything solid and it seems like his mouth doesn't work right. I feel terrible.

 

[suebee]

Please try my spraddle leg treatment before you cull.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=318395

 

[artsyrobin]

also check this thread-
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=585797

i have a pic on my computer on chick chairs- i'll try to find it and post it- if he is drinking the broth, that will help-