Chick Born Half Paralyzed???

[The Wolf Queen]

I hatched out some chicks this past Sat-Mon & one, that appears to be an EEx, has had problems from day one. At first I thought it had straddle leg but I realized the problem is that is has almost no control/power on it's left side. The chick can stand up but it falls over a lot & I keep having to stand it up again. Ive also noticed that it's left wing is 98% limp so im wondering if it was hatched semi paralyzed. Anyone have any ideas how I can help it build its strenghth? Putting it down isnt an option. Today the chick was able to hobble to get water on its own & move around the brooder a bit but I havent seen it eat so that worries me. Anyone got any tips???

 

[jbrookebarrow]

How sad

I don't have any advice (newbie here), but if it were me, I'd make a tiny sling pouch and have a permanent buddy everywhere I went. I hope you're able to determine what's going on soon, and hopefully the situation will straighten out on its own. Good luck

 

[jettgirl24]

I don't really have any advice on this one as I've never had to deal wit something like this... But I have to say if it's suffering, putting it down should not be off the table. It's very unfair to make it live in pain and discomfort or let it slowly die. I know culling is an extremely difficult thing for many of us but when you hatch chicks you absolutely must be prepared to do it. One thing that hatching has taught me is that sometimes things just aren't meant to survive. It sucks and it's harsh, but it's how nature works. If we choose to bring things into this world we have to suck it up and end things humanely when things go wrong.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Quote:
If I thought it was suffering I would definetly cull it. I dont think its in pain & its definetly more active today & has managed to move a bit. Its been drinking on its own to

. I take online classes so am home all day so I am able to check on it A LOT. I help it stand or lean again a side of the brooder & if it tips again I stand it up again. Its on shredded newpaper which is mostly flat so the fall is padded & it always lands legs streched so I dont think it can hurt its self all that much. I was thinking of a sling but I dont think it will work very well in this brooder. Its go a bunch of buddies right now & when I put them for sale Ill be leaving one of the smallest bantams with it.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

By your post I take it you sell some chicks.

When you sell chicks one of the biggest diservices you can do to yourself is either sell the mistakes or keep them in your breeding stock.

IMHO over the long haul patching together iffy chicks that would not otherwise survive on their own weakens the flock genetically and also places the whole flock at risk as it is the weak that are often the ones to catch illness and spread it.

Treating something acute like an injury is one thing but trying to save deformed chicks, birth deffects or runts might not be as valorous as it would seem.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

If you read my above post you would see that I plan to keep it if it survives with a single buddy that would be way smaller. Ive been breeding chickens since 07 & I know what & what not to breed. If it does make it & I dont have the space I will most likely give it to a friend who does not breed or let her broodies sit. I believe all lives are equal & it should not be killed just cuz its not 100% normal. Its not suffering so why cull it? Would someone cull their child if they were born deformed or something? I think not.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Update: I went to go check on the chick this morning & instead of laying on its side all spralled out it was standing by itself

. This is a first for it so im really excited