Chick suddenly acting off - injury or illness?

[eveliens]

Chick is 3.5 weeks old and outside with mom during the day and inside in the laundry room at night. Yesterday he was 100% fine and normal. This morning he was a little whiny but more or less normal, and I thought it might be because mom landed on him last night. As the day has progressed, he's not looking great and scared me half to death because he looked dead (he was sleeping in a weird position). He's having trouble holding himself up and keeps resting on his knees. His little butt area is slightly poopy (he's been poop-stained since birth, so I can't tell if it is a stain or recent) but rectum is clean. I don't see any signs of blood. Don't hear or see any signs of respitory distress. He's still eating, drinking and responsive but when I pick him up he tries to go to sleep and curls his feet up in a weird way. He would not normally allow me to pick him up without making a fuss. He keep pecking at his leg but when I inspected it everything looked fine - no obvious breaks or cuts. Not sure what to do for the little fellow. Will get a video as soon as the phone charges.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would wonder if he has a slipped tendon or other injury. Has the mother been pecking at him since the injury? If she does separate him with some heat source. Can you get some human B complex tablets, and give him 1/4-1/2 tablet daily, in case of a riboflavin deficiency? If he will stand for you try and get another pic of his legs standing. Make sure that his vent is cleaned off so he can poop. Also have him drinking water and feed since he may not be taking enough. You can make a small amount of watery feed to get more water into him.

 

[eveliens]

I would wonder if he has a slipped tendon or other injury. Has the mother been pecking at him since the injury? If she does separate him with some heat source. Can you get some human B complex tablets, and give him 1/4-1/2 tablet daily, in case of a riboflavin deficiency? If he will stand for you try and get another pic of his legs standing. Make sure that his vent is cleaned off so he can poop. Also have him drinking water and feed since he may not be taking enough. You can make a small amount of watery feed to get more water into him.

Mom has been pecking ME since then (she got me this morning when he squealed at being picked up) but has been pretty considerate of him - slowing down, letting him rest, etc. I went out there to take a video and he hid under the rosebush away from me. He can stand up, just not well/long - he's also not jumping around or trying to fly like he'd normally be doing. He and mom might have to go on some bed rest (or just him if mom allows it) with some vitamin water and mash. I'd imagine it probably hurts quite a bit I just want to make sure I shouldn't be medicating him with some anti-biotics or anything.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well, I hope he is better tomorrow. Let us know how he is doing.

 

[abenardini]

I would give some save a chick (or similar electrolytes, in tandem with some vitamins). It’s hard to say if the behavior is due to an injury or potential illness. Is there a local livestock vet that can do a quick checkup?

 

[eveliens]

Well, I hope he is better tomorrow. Let us know how he is doing.

I put them to bed early after a big meal of mash and Sav a Chick. I'm really hoping it is a sprain or something.

I would give some save a chick (or similar electrolytes, in tandem with some vitamins). It’s hard to say if the behavior is due to an injury or potential illness. Is there a local livestock vet that can do a quick checkup?

Unfortunately, there aren't any livestock vets around here and all the "exotics" vets have retired. I'm really hoping it is an injury or a vitamin problem. He gets chick feed but ofc he's also eating whatever mom gives him in the yard ie. bugs, seeds, grass. It hasn't been an issue with any of the previous chicks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Chick is 3.5 weeks old and outside with mom during the day and inside in the laundry room at night.

He keep pecking at his leg but when I inspected it everything looked fine - no obvious breaks or cuts.

I thought it might be because mom landed on him last night.

Mom has been pecking ME since then (she got me this morning when he squealed at being picked up) but has been pretty considerate of him - slowing down, letting him rest, etc. I went out there to take a video and he hid under the rosebush away from me. He can stand up, just not well/long

Mom landed on him last night?
What's his leg joints look like, any swelling? Can you feel if a tendon is slipped out of place?

May I ask why they come in at night? Did Mom and baby not have a secure place outside for the night?

Mom is going to peck you messing with baby, that's normal.
I'd add B-Complex to their water, it won't hurt for Mom to drink it too. See how it goes.
If she's not picking at him and he's keeping up with her, then I'd leave him with her if at all possible. Separation is going to add to both their stress levels.

 

[eveliens]

Mom landed on him last night?
What's his leg joints look like, any swelling? Can you feel if a tendon is slipped out of place?

May I ask why they come in at night? Did Mom and baby not have a secure place outside for the night?

Mom is going to peck you messing with baby, that's normal.
I'd add B-Complex to their water, it won't hurt for Mom to drink it too. See how it goes.
If she's not picking at him and he's keeping up with her, then I'd leave him with her if at all possible. Separation is going to add to both their stress levels.

She was flying down and squashed him because he ran directly under her landing spot. She's a bantam and is always on top of things - me, the dog crate, the porch chair, etc. She forgets baby can't fly up there with her and goes back down when he complains. It usually isn't an issue but I think she got him a little harder than normal due to landing on concrete rather than dirt and having a full crop adding to her weight. He seemed a little stunned at the time but shook it off and they went to bed. That's the only thing that happened between yesterday and today that I know of that would explain an injury.

No swelling or heat. Both legs have a full range of motion and nothing seemed out of place or broken. While I was watching him, he'd randomly yelped and tumbled, so it definitely hurts and he's reluctant to stand up for a long time.

They come in because mom wants to come in LOL. They come up to the porch around 6:30 and she makes noise until someone lets them in. He hatched during a 120F heatwave, so I kept them inside for that first week until it cooled off. Now she brings him in every night. I assume when she thinks he's ready she'll take him to the coop like she did previous batches of chicks. He's more or less feathered out just not quite big enough to roost yet.

Not concerned about mom pecking me, didn't mean to give that impression. I am concerned about baby making noises that incites mom to peck me. She normally does not care if I handle her chicks even if the chicks fuss, so her going after me is a sign something is wrong.

We'll see how things look tomorrow. Mom doesn't like to be confined but I might be able to get away with locking them up in the coop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Keep us posted on how he's doing.
Cute little cockerel.

Yeah, sometimes they can get accidentally injured by Mama like that. I'd feel his joint to see if it's slipped. Get some vitamins into him. She may have squished him a bit too and he's just bruised up. Do you notice any greenish purple coloring of the skin around the leg or abdomen?

 

[eveliens]

Keep us posted on how he's doing.
Cute little cockerel.

Yeah, sometimes they can get accidentally injured by Mama like that. I'd feel his joint to see if it's slipped. Get some vitamins into him. She may have squished him a bit too and he's just bruised up. Do you notice any greenish purple coloring of the skin around the leg or abdomen?

He is, unfortunately, a very cute little cockerel. I'm hoping he keeps his crows to himself until spring when I'll have a much easier time rehoming him. His (illegal) dad pretended to be a girl for 6 months, so we'll see LOL.

I don't see any bruising. Although his poopy belly/backside cleaned up, so he must have been sitting in it yesterday, causing the mess.

He seems a little more chipper today and managed a little run. He started a 6 way brawl by hurting himself and unleashing mom's rage on every other hen in the area though, so they're locked in the coop. He also let me cuddle and check him over for a good 5 minutes without any pained squeaks - I probably need to start handling him more because he's more or less been running wild in the yard.

My housemate suggested he might be having growing pains. He's a serama x Japanese bantam cross, both of which have short little bowlegs. It is possible his body is temporarily outstripping his leg's growth, which is why he seems so wobbly/uncoordinated. I'm hoping this is the case because I really can't find any signs of injury on this guy!