Handfeeding sick chick

[JD]

I have a 3 day old chick that fell about 3ft from mothers nest yesterday. It is still alive but when it tries to stand up it falls on his left side were it fell on, so he just layes there belly up. I have them and mother in the house now in a good size cage. But how can I hand feed this chick? It can not eat on its own from falling over. I tried to give it water but seem like he wants to gag on it, I am putting on just the tip of beak. Please help me

Can anyone help me?

 

[Imp]

Here's a thread that may help.

Imp- Good luck.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=184064

 

[JD]

Thank you that helps. The baby is thriving but want stay under the broody so I put him back in bator since he only 2 days old. But when he tries to stand he falls backwards on end up on the left side where I think he fell on and he keeps that leg strait out, seem to can't put any weight on it. I can't tell where it is hurt at and I'm afraid to do the band aid thing. Any suggestion on how to help it out with that?

 

[Imp]

Hopefully someone with more experience will come along. I luckily haven't had much experience with emergencies.
If the leg/foot doesn't look obviously broken, can you feel both legs to see if they feel the same. If it's broken I would suggest vet.
If it doesn't appear broken then you may need to splint, or make the boot. I would reccomend supportive care. Vitamins, maybe some poly-vi-sol without iron. Sorry I'm not much help. Good luck.

Imp- I'm going to look for more info.

ETA seems like the boot thing is mostly for curled toes.

ETA- Here's a thread about a chick that also fell. Haven't read the whole thing. Good luck

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=206237

 

[threehorses]

Spraddle leg, if the baby is on good footing (which it appears he is) is sometimes caused by conditions during incubation and hatch (a temperature issue), nutritional issues (baby needs a quick nutrition boost), injury or pressuring by the hen (like you mentioned - his fall), etc.

I agree to make sure it isn't broken. I would then highly consider doing orthopedics (Speckledhen has a good link on her signature) as well as doing a nutritional boost.

First, hen or not, he should be on a starter for chicks. It's better than she eat starter this first week than him eating adult food. Is he eating? And is he on starter? If not, please put him on some. It wouldn't hurt to give vitamins/minerals for poultry in his water for a week for all of them.

I would definitely do the bandaid thing - to keep the legs positioned correctly. Curled toes should usually be treated with a boot and with vitamin B treatment.

 

[JD]

Thank you threehorses he is only 2 days old and he is not wanting to eat. I've puree some stick starter and going to mix that with egg yolk and the polyvisol with water to see if I can drooper feed him some. I have move the leg some and he doesn't show any pain. He just doesn't want to put weight on it and will fall on side and just lay there. Doesn't seem to won't to try any more after he falls over. I put him back in bator and a steady 95f. He just doesn't want to move.

 

[threehorses]

That might be part of it. Mix some water and boiled egg yolk into a thin paste, add some honey or karo or other sugar dissolved - give him a little of that. Hopefully the nutrition and energy will encourage him to eat and hydrate him. You can mix that starter in too - mix the crumbles and yolk, put in a dixie cup in the fridge, mix with some hot water to warm up just enough to get him to drink it (making sure of course it's warmish when you give it to him - not cold and not hot).