Chick cannot stand (no anatomical issues found)

[hmlongino]

I have a 2 day old lavender orpington who fall over when she walks. She can stand still, but falls to either side when she takes a step. I checked out her feet, legs, etc and she looks fine otherwise. Any ideas on what may be the issue? I need to check any options before we decide to cull her.

Thanks!
Holly

 

[Yvonne37894]

Are you sure that it has drank water! Some don't find it on their own.

 

[hmlongino]

I helped her to the water. But, a chick doesn't even need water for up to 72 hours after hatch, so I don't think that would cause her to have problems?? She has been like this from the beginning.

 

[tnchickenut]

Some are just unthrifty. If you study egg development you can see where one day of bad tempatures or something can cause just one body part to be wrong. I would cull it for humane reasons. I'd bet it won't live long. I have seen it a million times. I hatch and work in a feed store that sells 20,000 chicks each spring. You kinda just get to know "the look" of one that won't make it.

 

[hmlongino]

I figured as much, just thought I would check w/ the experts first!

Thanks!

 

[ReikiStar]

Give her a little more time. Do you have any other chicks? We just hatched our first and only chick (it was a gift egg). Our chick kept crawling around on his hocks but I knew his legs worked because he pushed himself up and almost flipped over in my hand. We decided to put his brooder where he could see our older chicks (4 & 6 weeks old). THAT made a huge difference. Now he was interested in what they were doing so he gets up more often and strengthened his legs. At 4 days old, he's a little holy terror...running around and when I put him in with the big chicks (just for a few seconds) just to see what would happen, he grabbed a mouth full of fluff on both of the other chicks and shook his head like a dog! Already assuming he's a roo.

I'm hoping she just needs more time and some stimulation.

Good luck!!

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
What you are describing is a chick who is getting their land legs... just like anything else that is born... it kinda needs a bit to learn to walk. That is normal... but by the second day, they should be walking good...even running at times.

 

[ReikiStar]

Right. So how can you do you know just by description that the other chick is beyond help? I guess I'd have to see a video of it before I thought it was unthrifty.

 

[hmlongino]

We have other chicks and guinea keets. I really want him to come around and walk, but he just cannot. I think it's neurological. He's a beautiful lavender orpington and I hate it!