Chick with deformed leg (over a week old) Added pics

[Muddy]

We hatched some chicks a week or two ago and one of them was born with only one leg working. I figured at first it was just taking more time to adjust than the rest. Then we discussed culling it. I didn't look at it closely, myself, which I regret now. I decided we'd just leave it be as long as it didn't seem to be suffering. We only hatched 7 chicks this time, and they were doing okay together. Yesterday we gave all of the healthy chicks to our neighbor, but we kept the deformed chick. So now we just one the lone deformed chick.

I had convinced myself to cull her (we've never culled a chick before) but when I went in and looked at her it just seemed so healthy and content. One leg, however is just useless. It's all curled up under her and so it's basically a one-legged chicken. Will she stand a chance in the long run, or would it be most humane to go ahead and off it now?

 

[Pippey]

Personally, I would keep it. As long as the little gal seems happy, can get to food and water, why not just let nature run its course?

 

[RyanFunFarm]

Id keep her too!

 

[Muddy]

I think I will keep her. She get's around okay. Not fabulously, but she stays upright and gets to her food with no problem. We have older chickens, so I'm nervous about integrating her with the rest, but we've got a little while before that time comes. Feels sort of silly just raising a single limping chick, but she really just seems to happy and healthy to off when she's been no trouble to me.

 

[RyanFunFarm]

Oh good Im glad to hear it! If integration doesnt go well, she'd make a good canidate as a Free Rehome

 

[Muddy]

Here are a couple of pics. The camera scared her and the flash really freaked her out (I say her, but I actually don't know the sex, I just default to female with my chicks for some reason). So the pics aren't great. In the first you can see her on her on her good leg. In the second you can see her messed up leg. She pushes down on the joint to help with balance as she moves around.

 

[JacP]

Could u try to brace it down lower with a pipe cleaner & band-aid just so she had a lower longer leg?
Or it's permanently at that location.

 

[Muddy]

I worry that it is too late. I didn't realize how bad her leg was (my husband tends to the chicks mostly) until recently, and it wasn't until yesterday that I started reading up on it and seeing thing could be done. I wish I had been more proactive. Kicking myself now. Could I still try, or do I risk hurting the chick?

 

[LindsayB]

does the deformed leg bend at all? or have all the toes?