Hello from South Carolina...I've been getting lots of good information from BYC and this is my first post. Thank you in advance for any advice. I just got 10 baby chicks--these are my first. Two of the newest are having problems getting around. I think one has a broken leg and the other one (smallest/newest) seems to have deformed feet and is 'knee walking'. I'm going to attempt to post pictures here. The one with the broken leg can stand on the other, but the 'knee' joint looks a little rough. The tiny one hasn't fluffed out all of the way yet and really just waddles around. I'm not sure what to do. They are starting to eat and drink a little and make a LOT of noise and even push each other around. I have them separated from the rest but I'm wondering if I should separate them from each other and if there is anything that I can do for either of them? Thank you!
I really wish I could help you, hopefully someone with this type of experience will see this! Good Luck!
Welcome to BYC!! Do a SEARCH (see the BLUE line up above) for broken legs and bent legs. I think that some suggest using bandaids to solidify the legs. Cindy
Hello and welcome to BYC. As for your little babies, the littlest one I would just leave alone for 24 hours and see how it does. A lot of times they are pretty weak when just born and cannot yet support their own weight. As for the one with the turned out foot, it is not a broken leg, it is a birth defect that can usually be corrected. You can try to take a small band-aid and fasten it around both legs with the pad in the middle. Wrap the tape part around the bad leg with the rest of the band-aid facing out away from the chick to the side. Now slowly twist the foot into proper position and then fasten the other tape end around the other leg. Do not force the foot. If the chick seems to be in pain then you will have to do it in stages. It will have trouble walking at first until it figures out that it really can. Leave it on for 24 hours and then remove it. If it hasn't helped completely then do it again for another 24 hours.
Do a search on "spraddle leg" and you'll get tons of information, and even pictures of how to do that band-aid thing. Also, vitamin deficiencies can cause leg and foot problems, so put a vitamin/electrolyte powder in their water (I got some at the local feedstore), or you can give them Poly Vi Sol vitamins (from Walmart, for infants). You can also feed them chopped hard-boiled egg yolk. Also, if the crumbles are too big for them to eat, try crushing them up a little bit so they can eat more and increase their strength and energy.
Thank you all for the welcome messages and the tips. They are doing a little better and have perked up a bit. Both are able to stand on one leg and hop around some. I did grind their food up a little with the coffee mill and they seem happier with that.
I agree with the other post. Give the chicks a couple of days and see how they are doing. As long as they are eating and drinking it's a good sign.
