Help! 5 week old chick suddenly cannot bear weight on one leg

[Konra]

I have an approximately 5 week old ameraucana who seemed to be a little gimpy yesterday, and this morning is lying on it's side with its right leg stuck straight out behind. I cannot see an obvious injury, and I can bend the leg but it complains loudly when I do. It seems to be injured right at the hip. My hubby is an RN but unfortunately he's at work! Is there a way to pop the leg back in? Or should I put the poor chick out of it's misery?

 

[Konra]

Ok so I brought the chick in the house to warm and rehydrate it (giving it water drop wise via a paper towel). It is now allowing me to bend it's leg in with no complaining, but when I try to stand it up, it lets it's leg stick out to the front and flops over on it's breast/side.

 

[Konra]

I just couldn't let it suffer any longer, so I made the decision to cull it. I've never killed a chicen before, and I had difficulty finding information on the quickest most humane way to do it, and I wasn't sure I could break it's neck by hand - or more like, I was afraid to try and fail, resulting in more suffering for the chick. I also didn't want to do the hatchet method because I didn't want the mess, and didn't want it's body flapping around. I decided the best way was to cut the head off with a very sharp knife, and let the body bleed in the sink. Now I'm not convinced I cut all the way through the first time, although I'm sure the neck was broken. I don't know if it was the "twitching" (for lack of a euphemism) that made me think I'd botched it. I wonder if a hatchet would have been better? Is there anyone who has a better method for culling 5-6 week old chicks? I really felt it was the right choice, as it couldn't even eat or drink.

 

[kindergartenegg]

That's tough. I have 5 adorable chicks that hatched in my classroom 4 days ago. One was dropped by a young handler just this morning, and seems to be hopping with just one leg. I'm hoping a little rest will do wonders, but in reality, the outcome could be grim

 

[Konra]

I've heard you can "splint" the leg with a bandaid or two, which might work if it's an obvious injury. I'm not sure what happened to mine, I assumed it was an injury because it was so sudden, but I couldn't find anything visibly wrong with it aside from not wanting to stand up. I could put in on it's feet but it would just fall over.

 

[annewandering]

Did your chicks have the vaccines?

 

[Konra]

I have no idea if they did or not. They came from a local farm so I doubt it. Their food does say it's medicated.

 

[annewandering]

I am coming back to raising chicks after not having them for awhile so I am no expert but I have read on here about some virus that causes a leg to be paralyzed. (and other asst. symptoms) I have no idea if the virus has anything to do with your chick but it might be worth checking it out.

 

[Haunted55]

I have no idea if they did or not. They came from a local farm so I doubt it. Their food does say it's medicated.

The medication in their food is amprolium and it's for coccidiosis. It's not an antibiotic.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/752961/help-mareks-disease/180#post_10878221

I would also urge you to check out this thread or any other on BYC that has the name Marek's in it. I am guessing here but from the description, the age and the symptoms, you may have this in your flock and I hope you will educate yourself with the symptoms, disease itself and the precautions you will need to take in the future.

 

[annewandering]

Mareks is what I was hearing about. I have read another thread that haunting was posting about this disease. They seem to know what they are talking about. Please check this out because it is a scary disease.