JudithsChickens
In the Brooder
- Jan 2, 2019
- 8
- 52
- 44
Hi all,
I've got a 12 week old black ameraucana (blue eggs) that got off to a rough start. I didn't think she was going to pull through after the first few days of getting her batch of day-olds in the mail. Somehow she did, and she has managed to keep hanging in there, despite what is now clearly going to be a long term problem from a twisted leg. One of her legs bows out/backward and she does not use it to get around much. She still does get around on her own now between food, water, and where she likes to sleep, and it seems like she could live a functional life in time. For now she is living alone in a large brooding box with food, water, a mirror, and some stuff to play with. I try to bring her outside for a bit each day and encourage her to get around to go after live mealworms.
How did this come about? I think it started when she got an eye infection as a chick, which caused her eye to often stick shut. During this time she didn't move around much, and it took about a week for the infection to disappear and both her eyes to be open without any sticking. I'd moved her into a smaller pen with the other smallest chick of the batch as company. She was fed separately daily if her belly wasn't full and supplemented with nutrients. Yet between some lack of nutrition, lack of muscle growth, or pre-existing condition she began to limp. One of her legs began to turn outward. I tried treating her for splay leg, but the splints seemed to cause her pain. It wasn't slipped tendon, and her hip seemed fine, but the leg between her hip and 'knee' wanted to corkscrew.
After everything I've seen online, it seems like the common course here would just have been to end the misery. But she still seems to enjoy bopping around for mealworms, exploring outside, and taking naps on my feet. She is still generally improving through some days she seems to regress momentarily. Despite her continued progress, I do not have time to take care of this special needs chick for much longer. She is so much smaller than the others that she gets easily hurt and bullied with them, hence being on her own and sheltered from mice bites inside. Though 12 weeks old, she is only just losing the last of her baby chick fluff bits and easily fits in one hand. She hobbles around and likes to take large push starts then use her wings her guide.
I know its a long shot, but I figured I'd see if there's anyone out there who would have the time to keep helping this little girly along. I've seen enough success stories of chickens with wonky legs that wind up being able to get around, albeit maybe with a funny walk, that I'm hopeful maybe someone might want to take on this challenge who might have younger chicks that would be more her pace.
I've got a 12 week old black ameraucana (blue eggs) that got off to a rough start. I didn't think she was going to pull through after the first few days of getting her batch of day-olds in the mail. Somehow she did, and she has managed to keep hanging in there, despite what is now clearly going to be a long term problem from a twisted leg. One of her legs bows out/backward and she does not use it to get around much. She still does get around on her own now between food, water, and where she likes to sleep, and it seems like she could live a functional life in time. For now she is living alone in a large brooding box with food, water, a mirror, and some stuff to play with. I try to bring her outside for a bit each day and encourage her to get around to go after live mealworms.
How did this come about? I think it started when she got an eye infection as a chick, which caused her eye to often stick shut. During this time she didn't move around much, and it took about a week for the infection to disappear and both her eyes to be open without any sticking. I'd moved her into a smaller pen with the other smallest chick of the batch as company. She was fed separately daily if her belly wasn't full and supplemented with nutrients. Yet between some lack of nutrition, lack of muscle growth, or pre-existing condition she began to limp. One of her legs began to turn outward. I tried treating her for splay leg, but the splints seemed to cause her pain. It wasn't slipped tendon, and her hip seemed fine, but the leg between her hip and 'knee' wanted to corkscrew.
After everything I've seen online, it seems like the common course here would just have been to end the misery. But she still seems to enjoy bopping around for mealworms, exploring outside, and taking naps on my feet. She is still generally improving through some days she seems to regress momentarily. Despite her continued progress, I do not have time to take care of this special needs chick for much longer. She is so much smaller than the others that she gets easily hurt and bullied with them, hence being on her own and sheltered from mice bites inside. Though 12 weeks old, she is only just losing the last of her baby chick fluff bits and easily fits in one hand. She hobbles around and likes to take large push starts then use her wings her guide.
I know its a long shot, but I figured I'd see if there's anyone out there who would have the time to keep helping this little girly along. I've seen enough success stories of chickens with wonky legs that wind up being able to get around, albeit maybe with a funny walk, that I'm hopeful maybe someone might want to take on this challenge who might have younger chicks that would be more her pace.
