Chick can't walk... fixable? Or do we need to help it pass?

[MommaBee]

Long story short, we helped this lil guy out of it's shell very slowly after 3 days of it trying to hatch on it's own. I finally hatched it out 24 hours ago. It was a slow process, as we thought it still needed to absorb it's yolk sac. Turns out it was a rupture yolk. It sat in it's egg in a cup for 12 hours with 1 leg and 1 wing out. Since it hatched (we removed it from the shell and tied off it's cord) it has been unable to walk. It is a standard size Olive Egger. It's sibling have been up and running around for 4 days now. The leg that had been free for 12 hours is the one it has been dragging straight behind it. We placed it in a cup again overnight last night with it's legs tucked underneath it, hoping this would help reposition the leg. I let it out this morning and it within 5 mins it had kicked it back out. It is not as straight as it was but still behind it. Poor guy has been through a lot. We are not sure if it is fixable or if we should help it pass on. Any advice would be appreciated....


It is not as straight this morning as it was in this picture taken yesterday but still behind it..



Here it is in it's cup with it's legs folded underneath it.




Even with we tuck it under, it comes across under it's body like this.



This was right after I bathed it after realizing it was covered in yolk. The feet have not progressed much in the last 24 hours.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

MommaB he doesn't look too active, is he?

 

[MommaBee]

MommaB he doesn't look too active, is he?

No he is NOT! He is just laying down right now. I got it's foot tucked under him and the lil blanket on top to keep him from kicking it back out. I got him to drink today though. And it didn't act like it was gagging this time. I see development I guess but not much activity AT ALL.

 

[MommaBee]

The thing is, if I can fix it, I will. But I want it to lead a fairly normal life.

As most people, I do not have the time with my small children to water this chick and feed it by hand daily for the rest of it's life. I also worry about the others picking on it later in life.

 

[MommaBee]

OK I am sorry but I am really worried about this lil guy. Any help would be appreciated. I do not want it suffering.
Here is the pic of it this morning taken a few mins ago.

 

[MommaBee]

Come on! Anyone? Look at those feet? Is that even fixable?

 

[heebygeebies]

In my opinion, no. It will always have a bad leg. And the way the leg is positioned I don't think it will ever be able to walk or hobble around. You could give him a few more days and if he shows no improvement, send him off to that great big chicken coop in the sky.

Does he eat and drink when presented with food?

 

[cochins1088]

OK I am sorry but I am really worried about this lil guy. Any help would be appreciated. I do not want it suffering.
Here is the pic of it this morning taken a few mins ago.

Ok, does it seem deformed? or just stiff from being in the shell so long. Play with the healthy chick's legs and study how they work. Then come back to this guy and try to give us some more information as far as how his leg is different.

Sometimes rather than trying fixing it, if you leave them be, they will eventually figure out how to walk by watching the other chicks. I've had a couple chicks with weird legs that figured it out, but none exactly like this one.

If he can get to the food and water, he'll be fine. I once had a chick hatch with only one leg hatch. I made it a "peg", and it was walking around by it's self and eating and drinking within 3 days.

If he doesn't make any progress after 3 days, then we may have to consider letting him go.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

sent another PM momma

 

[MommaBee]

In my opinion, no. It will always have a bad leg. And the way the leg is positioned I don't think it will ever be able to walk or hobble around. You could give him a few more days and if he shows no improvement, send him off to that great big chicken coop in the sky.

Does he eat and drink when presented with food?

I put it down. The last time I tried to give it water it started acting like it was drownding. It was drinking better yesterday I could tell it was suffering and getting worse. I just finished putting it down after I saw that. I feel better knowing it is not suffering.