help - chick isn't walking well

[eichenluft]

I just moved my older chicks (3 weeks old, they have their wing feathers in and most of the feathers on chests also) - out to the barn yesterday - they have been in the "brooder" - deep box container with heat lamp - until they just simply grew out of it - they were too crowded and were jumping out. So I moved them to a big dog crate, twice as much space - in the barn. Out of the draft, but no heat lamp. All of the chicks ate and settled in for the night, I put a heat-pad under a towel in for them last night though it wasn't very cold out. This morning they all seemed fine but I didn't look at them closely until I changed their food/water. They all ran over except one araucana baby - she was laying down with one wing outstretched as if for balance, and the opposite foot stretched out. Head up, eyes bright, looking around. I watched her for a while then reached in to get her, she walked away from me but was sort of "limping" - not really limping because it appears both legs are weak or something - she kept going chest-down and using her wings for balance. I took her out, looked at her legs - she is bright and alert, flapping wings ok - all of her toes curled around my finger, she stood in my hand, but when I put her down she couldn't walk right - falling over to one side, using the wing to catch herself - like both of her legs are very weak. I dipped her beak in the water and she had a drink - then I put her in the food dish and she chowed down, ate a LOT as if she were very hungry - but laid in the food dish while eating. I dont' know what might have happened! The crate is the vari-kennel type - nothing bigger than a cockroach could have gotten in there - help!!!

molly

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

you may want to use the search feature and type in "spraddle leg". That may be your problem-never hurts to check

 

[nikkimay]

One of my babies had something similar... I would highly recommend taking her to an avian vet.

Ours required a bit of care to get her walking right again, including some physical therapy!

 

[eichenluft]

I don't think it's spraddle leg - her legs aren't spraddled for one thing - she can use them but they appear very weak, she goes down on her chest after trying to walk even a little bit. She can move her legs - not paralyzed. She's eating and drinking and bright-eyed - and this just happened in one night. She was fine yesterday and last night. And, she's not a newly hatched chick - she's 3 weeks old - and she's been on shavings for 3 weeks - not on slippery surfaces. The only change is that I moved the chicks from inside brooder to outside (in the barn) crate. Anyone else have any ideas what it could be?

molly

 

[dlhunicorn]

it is not always easy to isolate and identify specific nutritional deficiencies and they can be devastating.
IF a deficiency has occured you will generally know for sure after they have responded to a supplement. As any kind of stress, toxin or disease challange will cause malabsorption of nutrients from the feed to one degree or the other then a supplement is always indicated when you notice your bird is poorly. I recommend aviacharge 2000 as it is a complete poultry vitamin/nutritional supplement. (you can order online from McMurry or Stromberg)...also you can give polyvisol in addition to this (three -five drops a day for a week then taper off) as this provides most of the b vitamins thta are often involved in leg disorders.

 

[keljonma]

She could have been startled by something in her new (strange) surroundings or maybe tried flying and hit the sides of the cage and suffered an internal injury.

Where is she in the pecking order..... does she get picked on the the others?

 

[spencereb]

Molly,
Are her toes curled, also? Does she sit and even walk, like.. on her haunches, elbows? I had a couple of chicks, a couple of weeks old, and for no apparent reason at different times, just up and one day, their feet and low legs didn't work right, badly curled toes. A week to 10 days, and they both "grew out" of their crippling comdition If you don't know of any trauma, and if all the other chicks are cruising along as normal, I say just give her some time. Be sure she has EASY access to food, water and warmth, 24/7. I bet she does good after all.
_Spence

 

[eichenluft]

Good news - last night when I went to "put them to bed" the chick was lying upright in the back of the crate, but head up/alert - I changed the water, and checked once more to see, and she was up and walking around with the others. So I guess she's going to be ok. I have no idea what was wrong with her! Really strange.

molly