Chick Can't Walk

[bpirockin]

Aww best of luck with it.

 

[yellowflower]

Sounds like a scooter. I have them with my silkies sometimes. What I do is put them in a cup so they have to put their feet underneath them and it's low enough where they have to push with their feet and legs to get out and they want to. We do this a few times then give them a rest and do it again. Or you could leave them in the cup. Just have to watch them. I usually see an improvement within a couple of hrs and by the next day they are walking on their own. I do the excercise some more to help to strengthen their legs. Hope this helps.

 

[FarmGirl9494]

Thank you! I was thinking the cup would work well too!! I massaged his(unfortunately) little legs and would hold him up and teach him to walk the right way every time I walked by his bed. and when I held him I would hold him a bit on an angle so he would balance himself in my had with his legs positioned right. I also did a little chick leg movement therapy where I would extend and then bend his leg multiple times and then repeat on the other. the end of the day just after he hatched I let him sleep and rest from hatching. then in the morning when I posted I knew for sure something was wrong! I started his therapy/walking lessons/massages that morning and continued through out the day multiple times. the next morning my dad woke me up and told me the chick was up walking around looking for me and food. so sure enough I look in and boom there is an almost normal standing/walking chick! a very very hungry one too! since I couldn't get him to eat much food the day before!
the only problem I had to fix was one toe that had curled under the foot as he had walked/shuffled like that for a day and a half and also had it like that in the egg. so I gave him a little chick bootie with vet wrap and as soon as it was on he was walking/oddly running around! next morning took the bootie off and his foot was perfect.
Thank you for the concern! He is great and one happy, fast little food hog!
I agree with you I was thinking a cup would work perfectly instead of holding him up! definitely will use that next time! One question tho! my little guy had a really big bulbous butt!! I mean it was huge compared to normal! idk if he hatched early or late or what was with that but do the silkies that hatch like that for you have bigger butts that most others normally would? I feel like his butt definitely added to his problem. he was sooo off weighted it was crazy! by the second day he had lost most of his bulb butt and he was getting around better, today and day 3 he lost the rest and looked normal and he has been getting around no balance issues!
Since its a HE! I think I'm naming him bulbous bumbledore!

Thanks again to everyone who posted and was rooting for my little guy!

 

[EggQueen]

Thanks for all of the above. I have a chick with the same problem and have just put him in a cup as suggested. He is alternately cheeping 'let me out' very loudly and pushing with his legs to get out. Have also done a spot of stretching/massaging and will continue this too. Fingers crossed.

 

[FarmGirl9494]

Good luck with your little one EggQueen!!! Post to let us know how it is and turns out!!!

 

[EggQueen]

Thanks! At 6 days old chick still isn't using its legs but is still otherwise healthy. Legs have gone more out to the side now so I've tried strapping them up as for spraddle legs, but this hasn't worked (yet). I'm having to give it food and water as it can't get to them itself and obviously this isn't viable long term... so not sure at the moment which way this is going to go. Will keep you updated.

 

[EggQueen]

Update: found the chick dead this morning :-(

 

[FarmGirl9494]

Awwee! I am so sorry!!

I have one who is going in a cup now because a curled toe caused major leg issue. he is going down hill fast so I am in the same position you were in, again!! but ik it is hard to loose little ones you try so hard for!

 

[indyfarmgirl]

I have a 3 day old chick that tries so hard to stand but rolls over backwards. Any suggestions?

 

[JennieG]

I'm ganna add to this thread.....I have a 4 week old polish mix that seems to be growing at much slower rate then the others. She today starting falling over to the right like she didn't have the strength on that side. I separated her just incase it was something else. I then went to run some errands and when I got back she can't hold her self up at all with either legs.....she kinda rolls over to the side and just lays there! WHAT SHOULD I DO???