Chickengirl209
Songster
I have a 6wk old Speckled Sussex chick that I think must have gotten her leg broken, fractured, sprained or something either yesterday evening or this morning. I had let them outside to graze yesterday and they were fine. She is one of the smaller of the Sussex, and usually very fast and skittish. She has different colored legs than the others, a tan color. The others are cream colored.
Today I found her in the middle of the brooder, being trampled by the others. She was doing a kind of army crawl, but kept getting knocked over. When I picked her up, she started writhing unnaturally, and fell on her back, unable to turn rightside up. She had no balance whatsoever, not even with her wings. Whenever my hand touched her heel or around it, she squealed and writhed again.(I found a picture showing what I mean by "heel" online. It is not her leg.) Her head would fall to the side of her injured leg. It was very hard to hold her because her body kept flopping over in my hand.
We took her inside, and I held her in a position that she wasn't hurt. She was obviously dehydrated. Her head would roll in odd positions, and sometimes twitch a little. She seemed unable to move her head much to drink water, like it would hurt if she tried. When she moved her head too far back, she would fall over backwards. To far to the side and she'd topple.
I gave her some water (put her beak in the water) and she did very tiny sips, not moving her head, only "smacking her lips" as you might say. We prayed.
After about 5mins she perked up, and her head wasn't rolling as much, only gradually moving backwards and then she would move it forwards again.
10 more minutes and more sips, she was able to perch comfortably on my hand without me supporting her. (I still supported her some so if she lost her balance, I could catch her.) She started moving her head for water herself, lifting it to drink as well. If she moved it too far up, she'd stumble back. We put her in a box with shavings. She moved herself to the wall to support herself on her side and back.
20mins and she started eating. She doesn't move her body to eat, just her head. She is regularly peeping in a not frightened way, and when we leave her and cover her box with a towel, she gets quiet. She is starting to sleep.
Now is about 1h 1/2 since we found her. Still doing well and happy. I have not started to look at where her leg is injured at. (Didn't want to disturb her yet.)
Is there any suggestions what to do from here, or any tips on splinting? I think it is probably her heel or thigh since that is where she screamed when I touched it.
Some people I might ask:
@Wyorp Rock
@Kiki
@U_Stormcrow
@Miss Lydia
@rosemarythyme
@coach723
@nuthatched
@Ridgerunner
@aart
Thanks all!
Today I found her in the middle of the brooder, being trampled by the others. She was doing a kind of army crawl, but kept getting knocked over. When I picked her up, she started writhing unnaturally, and fell on her back, unable to turn rightside up. She had no balance whatsoever, not even with her wings. Whenever my hand touched her heel or around it, she squealed and writhed again.(I found a picture showing what I mean by "heel" online. It is not her leg.) Her head would fall to the side of her injured leg. It was very hard to hold her because her body kept flopping over in my hand.
We took her inside, and I held her in a position that she wasn't hurt. She was obviously dehydrated. Her head would roll in odd positions, and sometimes twitch a little. She seemed unable to move her head much to drink water, like it would hurt if she tried. When she moved her head too far back, she would fall over backwards. To far to the side and she'd topple.
I gave her some water (put her beak in the water) and she did very tiny sips, not moving her head, only "smacking her lips" as you might say. We prayed.
After about 5mins she perked up, and her head wasn't rolling as much, only gradually moving backwards and then she would move it forwards again.
10 more minutes and more sips, she was able to perch comfortably on my hand without me supporting her. (I still supported her some so if she lost her balance, I could catch her.) She started moving her head for water herself, lifting it to drink as well. If she moved it too far up, she'd stumble back. We put her in a box with shavings. She moved herself to the wall to support herself on her side and back.
20mins and she started eating. She doesn't move her body to eat, just her head. She is regularly peeping in a not frightened way, and when we leave her and cover her box with a towel, she gets quiet. She is starting to sleep.
Now is about 1h 1/2 since we found her. Still doing well and happy. I have not started to look at where her leg is injured at. (Didn't want to disturb her yet.)
Is there any suggestions what to do from here, or any tips on splinting? I think it is probably her heel or thigh since that is where she screamed when I touched it.
Some people I might ask:
@Wyorp Rock
@Kiki
@U_Stormcrow
@Miss Lydia
@rosemarythyme
@coach723
@nuthatched
@Ridgerunner
@aart
Thanks all!
