Chick won't walk on one leg

[MJL4]

Our two year old, this morning, went to go give our 7-8 week old chicks some worms and when he opened the door it was not open all the way and swung back and hit a chick. The chick was crying and yelling intensely and trying to drag itself and hid under grass piles. My husband thought he was going to have to kill her because of the amount of pain she was displaying. But after he got the knife ready and awoke myself we, we went out and she was quietly laying in the grass in a sort of trans. She is not crying but does lay on her side and does not want to put pressure on the leg. She will stand if you stand her up and hold the hurt leg. So I gave her some asprin dissolved in water and I have her in a towel resting in my lap. We can't spend a lot on a Vet clinic and we try and do as much natural remedies as we can as they are organically raised birds. I don't know if taking her for an x ray is something that is totally necessary or what I should do for her? Help Please! We are new to raising birds and these are the first chicks we have ever had. Thank you!!

 

[Judy]

Most people here would just separate her and let her rest in a quiet place for a few days in the hope it either heals or she adjusts to it. There is a fair chance she will be crippled, but many of us have a crippled chick or (in my case) hen. Most vets won't treat chickens or, if they do, are really not equipped, and there is a limit to what they can do, anyway, because anaesthesia in a chicken is a very tricky affair. Even getting a decent xray would be nearly impossible. There are avian vets, if you want to go that route, but of course it will cost you.

 

[MJL4]

We have tried to feel the bones in her leg and they do not feel broken at all. We were thinking maybe something in her body got hurt? We do have her separated and giving her lots of love and worms. Do you think she would still be crippled if it is not directly in her leg?

 

[MJL4]

Today our little chick is doing much better. She can walk and stand but she has a loss of balance on the hurt side. Why do chickens loose their balance and is there anything I can do to help her get it back. She is doing well at compensating for it, but is this something that will eventually restore? She is also lonely. We have her in a box on our counter. Last night we put her in the brooding box in the garage. When can she go back out with her friends? Thanks!!

 

[Biologrady]

If she's improved so much in a day, she'll probably be ok. Try to only put her with her buddies while you can watch at first, sometimes the weaker ones become targets.