Chick no longer standing/walking, just flopping around

Mar 8, 2019
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AL, USA
You know, it seems some years the chickens just throw all the curveballs at you so you have to learn everything all over again. This would be one of those years.

I now have a chick, probably just over a month old, who is no longer walking, standing, or using her legs properly.
I watch the chicks every morning when I feed them to make sure everyone is up and moving around, eating and drinking like normal and didn't notice anything wrong until this morning. Instead of running to the food like normal, this chick literally used her wings to flop over there. She kept kind of flopping around instead of really running when I reached in to grab her.

I have isolated her in a clean box under a heat lamp. I don't think she is feathered out or weighing as much as she should at this age. She's a barnyard mix and possibly a bantam.

Obviously, this looks serious and I need to know what is going on. I am really hoping this is an isolated case and won't happen to everyone (she was with thirteen other chicks I hatched out). What other symptoms should I look for? What do you think I can do for her? And what should I be concerned about?

I'm going to look and see what supplements I might have on hand to give her. I do not have any antibiotics or other medications so if you think I need some please include details.

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My first thought is possibly a vitamin deficiency as I have seen that before. I don't happen to think bagged chicken feeds are all that complete and balanced. I have been out of Nutri drench recently but usually I use that on a rotational basis with electrolytes.
 
I now have a chick, probably just over a month old, who is no longer walking, standing, or using her legs properly.
What are you feeding?

Are these chicks outdoors already, and how long?

Top possibilities are.. vitamin deficiency (e, selenium, thiamine)..

https://meyerhatchery.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017811331-Wry-Neck

The chick seems very alert, not lethargic.. is it also still trying to eat and drink? If so then I would rule out coccidiosis as a possible cause and also crop impaction and pasty butt.

Depending on how long the chicks been outdoors and other things then Marek's is always of concern..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Most birds won't get deficiency using formulated rations.. but some individuals may experience genetic absorption type issue, feed can be old or stored improperly, etc. and too many treats can be given.
 
Thanks for the response!
Unmedicated chick starter crumble. No treats yet.
They are in a special pen built inside my coop so outdoors but protected and not on the ground.
They moved from the brooder to the pen a few weeks ago originally with the broody hen (she's back with the rest of the flock again).
Yes, it was still eagerly moving towards the food this morning. A bit ruffled that I separated it LOL.
 
So the other day I found out that the chick feed I have been using is five months expired! Not happy. It took me at least that five months to find any chick feed and now what I got was expired. No wonder they are struggling. I have three chicks too weak to do much. Those three are sharing a box so they can rest. The other chicks are stronger. I moved everyone back into brooder boxes as it is easier for now. They are gobbling up the fresh scrambled eggs I am making for them. My order for Nutri Drench also came in so they started getting that today. I will be searching for chick feed that isn't expired! Hopefully our local feed store can help me out. I won't be buying any chicken feed from tractor supply anymore as every single bag I bought from them recently is expired by three to five months.
Still, I am somewhat relieved that we are dealing with a nutritional deficiency that can be treated rather than something like Marek's.
 
Update! The chicks are doing much better. They have been eating scrambled eggs, soaked oats (being very careful with those) and veggies/fruits while we tried to find some decent chick starter again. I'm keeping the Nutri drench in their water at the full dose too. The one that wasn't able to walk a few days ago just jumped/fly out of the brooder box all on her own this evening! Not 100% yet but headed in the right direction fairly quickly. I am sure now that we found the problem.
Just found a local feed store carries the Kalmbach brand and we actually have a regional supplier/manufacturer so the bags aren't expired! Yay!
 

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