Chick can't stay upright

[ShinShien]

I have 6 blue Americauna (sp?) 5 appear to be alright. They run around, eat, poop, drink fall asleep randomly. 1 eats a little, drinks less, runs wildly for a second then flops over *this is when it bothers to move at all* Suggestions to help it would be appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Are these very young chicks? I would get some electrolytes and vitamins (Save-A-Chick) or other brands and dip the sick chicks beak into the water. It sounds like the little one is stressed. Wetting a small amount of food may get more into it also.

 

[ShinShien]

They're a week old, nearly 8 days now. Ants keep getting into the brooder, and the chicks are eating them. Don't know if ants are good or bad for chicks, and one got a cricket. Brooder is outdoors if that's not obvious. She seems to be doing better, eats more, still doesn't stay on feet long.

 

[ShinShien]

Update: the chick doesn't appear to be sick. In fact, he/she eats and drinks quite readily when she/he manages to get to the feeder/waterer. It seems to have a slight limp on its right leg, starting at the hip. Leg isn't sticking out, so if it's splayed leg, it isn't noticeable. Is there an article on how I go about tying or splinting this leg, if that would help at all?

 

[Eggcessive]

Try this link for leg and foot treatments: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[ShinShien]

Argh!! It's worse than a splayed leg! I think it's bumblefoot! Her foot *both top and pad* are swollen. There's no black scab, but there's the swelling, limping, refusing to stand on it long.

 

[Eggcessive]

Bumblefoot is a staph infection of the foot pad from a small cut earlier. I would doubt that your little chick has that--it would be very rare. I think you are probably dealing with some sort of birth defect or injury. Maybe a picture would get more thoughts on the problem.

 

[ShinShien]

The swelling is subtle, but it's visible. It's her right foot. I included a pic of her left for comparison.