Chick acts like a flamingo

[iread]

My 2 week old chick was peeping up a storm in the brooder with her 3 like-aged companions. Since she is a bit smaller, I thought she was chilled and I moved her to my brooder with the week-olds. She has quietened down but now, as she walks, she will pick up her right leg after each step and tuck it under her. She stands like a flamingo for a sec, then stretches out her wing, and continues on. Very odd behavior (I think). Any ideas? She doesn't appear injured. She eats and drinks normally.

 

[Skip]

Maybe she's showing off.

 

[iread]

You think? Do they do wierd things like that to show off?

 

[Skip]

I'm just kidding!

Maybe she's cold, maybe she's just trying to think of something else to do, I have no clue!

It doesn't sound that serious to me. Keep an eye on her, if anything else happens, let us know.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Some breeds, particularly the long-legged breeds, walk odd. If I had a video of my Moderns I'd show you what I mean. Some of my birds skip and double-step.

 

[flakey chick]

One of my chicks eventually started doing that because her feet were so big. I think it was her way of trying not to step on her own feet. She was always tripping over herself.

 

[Mahonri]

Could the leg be hurt?

 

[iread]

I think her leg is ok. I took her away from the chicks and watched for a few minutes and she still does it. I know that this will sound weird but it almost looks like she is scratching her butt with her knee.....I checked and her hiney is clean--no pasty butt. I still don't have a clue why she is doing this! She also seems to get pushed around by the other smaller chicks. Maybe she has some issues that i don't know about!

 

[Lobzi]

My chickens like to do that too. I think it must be a normal thing for them to stand on one leg... maybe to rest the one they tuck to their body. Then the stretchy thing with the wing and throwing the leg back. Chickie, my roo, did it more when he was younger but still sometimes does it. I saw my hen do it the other day too.

 

[FrenchHen]

She's just training for Riverdance.