Chick won't stand on legs...are they broken?

[chickencrazyinHT]

I have a chick that is a week old and she won't stand up. I took her out of the brooder where she was with over 40 other chicks because they were running all over her and she couldn't move. I have her in the house now and she will not stand up, she just lays in one place and scoots herself around very little. Her legs seem to go out to the side sometimes and she is able to move them and tuck them back under her belly and her legs also seem to tremble sometimes. Her toes are curled up also and she doesnt try to put weight on them either. How do I know if they are broke or what could be wrong with her? She does eat and drink but that is about it. Please help with any advice. If her legs are broken then what could I do? She was a chick from a shipment we got and just trying to figure out what's wrong and if I should put her out of her misery if I can't fix her.

 

[CockadoodlePoo]

I'm no expert, but I've read about this on this site before and I think I've heard people talk about using a band of some sort to keep the legs close together, kind of as a support. I've also read that if the chicks are on a slippery surface like flat newspaper this can also cause the problem with the legs slipping out sideways. My suggestion is to try finding out about the banding of the legs together. I have a book that describes the condition as "splay leg."

 

[CockadoodlePoo]

I was able to find this link. Hope it helps....it has step-by-step instructions and pictures! Good luck. Just copy and paste into your browser.

http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

 

[Rosaleen]

It 's also called spraddle leg and can be fixed....there are several sites on BYC with step by step procedure.

 

[peterlund]

What kind of chicken? Failure to thrive is just that BTW, and you can't shouldn't try to save all... I know it is hard, but if it is not healthy enough... then maybe you have to decide what is best for it. Good luck. One of the most heart wrenching things I ever did was cull a chick...

 

[chickencrazyinHT]

It is a red sex link chick. I followed the splayed leg directions with the band aid. Waiting to see if she will stand on them. Now I'm wondering is something else is wrong because she is much smaller than the other chicks of the same age. Thanks for the link about the splayed legs.

 

[MissJenny]

Do you have children's poly-vi-sol vitamins. I add a few drops in the weaker chicks water -- when they are separated they get a small personal water dish, so a few drops goes a long way. She needs a friend or two while she is separated, otherwise she won't rejoin the group easily.

Best of luck -- it's thrilling when it all works, heartbreaking when it doesn't. ♥

Jenny

 

[Tracydr]

If her toes are curled it is probably a riboflavin deficiency. Get her on the poly vi sol right away. ( without iron). I also like to sprinkle nutritional yeast ( its a cheese substitute used by Vegans, you can by at Whole Foods or other Health Food groceries) or Brewer's yeast on the food of all my chicks, along with vitamins in the water. Stale chick feed can lose its water soluble vitamins, especially B- vitamins and you will see things like this because they are growing so fast. Even the mother who laid the egg could have had the defiency.
They love the nutritional yeast, it's like cheese to them and has tons of good b-vitamins, plus very high in good protein so it's a great supplement for sick chickies.
For your little one, a but of hard cooked egg yolk and yogurt won't hurt for strength, either and I would use the straddle legged braces in the website link, although, because the feet are curled and legs weak, it probably won't work at first. You may need to make a little " cart" out of a paper cup to keep the chick upright.

 

[Aria]

Follow the link and it will usually work