Chick with legs out front?

[Jeffross1968]

So, we had to help one out of the shell today. It had a good size pip hole, underneath and on the pointy end. All round the hole it was hard and crusty, and the chick was not progressing with the zip. She seemed fine, and is chirping and moving around, but only barely. She's doing a strange thing, with it's feet out in front, scratching trying to get them under her. She's been in the brooder for a few hours, doing this the whole time.

I thought I'd seen something about this before but couldn't find it. Opinions? We've never had one do this before...

 

[BHep]

I have had this before.... I put the chick in a teacup (paper towel at the bottom for traction) The chick will keep trying to stand and strengthen the legs.

 

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

Maybe a "Hobble Brace" would help. Sometimes it takes a few days for them to stand......maybe sugar in the water would give it extra energy

 

[bikerchic]

I had one like that on my last hatch. I gave it a drop of polyvisol without iron infant vitamins daily. It was walking fine by the 3rd day.

 

[cmom]

Do you have a picture? I hatched a chick that couldn't walk. It's feet were folded. It was smaller than the others too. I put it by itself and had fed it a mash with a drop of Poly-Vi-Sol without Iron. The feet did uncurl and it had spraddle legs. I did put band-aids on its legs and the legs also straightened out. It's hatch mates would pick on it when I put it in with them. I had another hatch a week later and put the runt in with the new chicks and it is has been happy with them. There is hope...