Chick unable to walk

[Merc_smallFarms]

Hi! So I have ten chicks in a brooder I made and I noticed one is not walking or standing much. The chick is a few weeks old I got it at Tractor supply about a week ago. Most of the other chicks kinda walk over him/her. I included pictures of the chick standing outside the brooder. It is not walking forward at all, it was able to hold that standing position for a while without falling, but I’ve noticed at times when I try to stand it, it falls. In the brooder it mostly lays on its stomach. Can anyone give any advice on to what it could be?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Has it been like this since you got the chicks or did this one just recently start doing this?

If it were mine, I'd suspect a vitamin deficiency and get the liquid B-complex out. If you have the B-complex pills, it could have 1/4 of one of those, once per day, or 1/4 eye dropper of the liquid. I'd also try doing a bit of physical therapy a few times a day with it to try get it to stand up.

Another idea we've come up with is making a little chick chair that has to push up from its feet. You'd make two holes in some type of fabric that its feet fit through, then secure that on top of a coffee cup or, better yet, a clear glass bowl so you could see that its feet were touching.

Here's a thread on chick chairs for other ideas: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Merc_smallFarms]

Hi,

Has it been like this since you got the chicks or did this one just recently start doing this?

Thank you for all the helpful advice, this just started today before today it was running and walking fine. All the other chicks have been good too.

 

[emeraldenigma]

Did your chick ever recover? I have one doing the same thing.

 

[Abshans]

Did your chick ever recover? I have one doing the same thing.

I am having this issue as well. How did you chick end up?

 

[emeraldenigma]

I am having this issue as well. How did you chick end up?

I ended up having 3 do this. I bought some Poultry Cell and added it to their water for several days. I pulled the ones that wouldn't stand out one by one and used a dropper with the water in it to make sure they were getting the vitamins and they all recovered within a few days. They are 8 weeks old now and doing great!

 

[Abshans]

I ended up having 3 do this. I bought some Poultry Cell and added it to their water for several days. I pulled the ones that wouldn't stand out one by one and used a dropper with the water in it to make sure they were getting the vitamins and they all recovered within a few days. They are 8 weeks old now and doing great!

This is great to hear thank you! Hoping mine starts to recover soon