needsomeadvice
In the Brooder
- Jun 10, 2022
- 5
- 4
- 11
>5 day old chick, same size/weight as his siblings
>he holds 1 leg tight to his body and uses the "hock" to walk on/shuffle around since he can't stand
>I noticed the problem in the incubator; his leg was through the mesh floor (bad incubator design)
>I don't know if he had the problem from birth and just wasn't strong enough to stand up and get free, or if it was an injury caused from the incubator
>it didn't resolve over 1-2 days in the brooder, so I isolated him
>no actual bleeding, but there's a red and white sore on the hock and some swelling; white showed up today, might be bone?
>I thought it was a slipped tendon, but now I'm thinking a break
>he eats, but today was sluggish, so I helped him drink and he was thirsty (though the dish is only 1~ inch tall)
>when I tried to straighten his leg, he squeaks a lot and he 'pooped' clear fluid, as if in a lot of pain (this happened 2 separate days)
>I put a cast on it 2 days ago to make it straight, and it came off yesterday afternoon; I didn't replace it
>now his leg is bent again, so I added another cast that made it kinda straight
>he curls his toes AND sometimes has them straight, so he can move them; but they are never fanned out (like they need to be to stand and be balanced)
>a vet isn't an option
>he's in a plastic container on top of the warm incubator, with leaves and food sprinkled everywhere
>he normally does NOT squeak, but will if I handle him. In the second video, he's squeaking a lot because I tried to straighten his leg, but the pain seems to pass and he goes back to eating
note: someone pointed out that he couldn't get traction on the plastic (from the video), so I added a paper towel across the floor. Also, these videos are from yesterday; I can't get a pic/video today because he has the cast on.
Video 1: https://a.uguu.se/spGCwUWQ.mp4
Video 2: https://a.uguu.se/GYBKLKos.mp4
>he holds 1 leg tight to his body and uses the "hock" to walk on/shuffle around since he can't stand
>I noticed the problem in the incubator; his leg was through the mesh floor (bad incubator design)
>I don't know if he had the problem from birth and just wasn't strong enough to stand up and get free, or if it was an injury caused from the incubator
>it didn't resolve over 1-2 days in the brooder, so I isolated him
>no actual bleeding, but there's a red and white sore on the hock and some swelling; white showed up today, might be bone?
>I thought it was a slipped tendon, but now I'm thinking a break
>he eats, but today was sluggish, so I helped him drink and he was thirsty (though the dish is only 1~ inch tall)
>when I tried to straighten his leg, he squeaks a lot and he 'pooped' clear fluid, as if in a lot of pain (this happened 2 separate days)
>I put a cast on it 2 days ago to make it straight, and it came off yesterday afternoon; I didn't replace it
>now his leg is bent again, so I added another cast that made it kinda straight
>he curls his toes AND sometimes has them straight, so he can move them; but they are never fanned out (like they need to be to stand and be balanced)
>a vet isn't an option
>he's in a plastic container on top of the warm incubator, with leaves and food sprinkled everywhere
>he normally does NOT squeak, but will if I handle him. In the second video, he's squeaking a lot because I tried to straighten his leg, but the pain seems to pass and he goes back to eating
note: someone pointed out that he couldn't get traction on the plastic (from the video), so I added a paper towel across the floor. Also, these videos are from yesterday; I can't get a pic/video today because he has the cast on.
Video 1: https://a.uguu.se/spGCwUWQ.mp4
Video 2: https://a.uguu.se/GYBKLKos.mp4
