HELP!! Days old chick can't stand or walk!!

[psychoticturtle]

I have a little chick, only a few days old, and she leans to her left and cannot stand or walk. When trying to move, her right leg pushes behind her and she scoots along the ground. I haven't seen her eat much either. Most of my other hatched chicks turned out healthy. I tried the whole bandaids over her feet to separate the toes (they were all clumped together) and a bandaid to help with the straddle leg (she has that too). I also noticed that her left wing doesn't seem like it is growing as much as her right. Her overall size is also far smaller than the rest of the chicks, but that may just be because she's hardly eaten. Any ideas as to what this could be and how I can help her??

 

[getaclue]

Just keep the "boot" on its toes, and the bandaid for straddle leg. Make sure it gets enough to eat. If you have it isolated, add some Poly Vi Sol without iron (at the pharmacy, for babies) to the water. Can't help much with the wing growing, but it may not be an issue later on, other than appearance. Good luck!

 

[psychoticturtle]

Just keep the "boot" on its toes, and the bandaid for straddle leg. Make sure it gets enough to eat. If you have it isolated, add some Poly Vi Sol without iron (at the pharmacy, for babies) to the water. Can't help much with the wing growing, but it may not be an issue later on, other than appearance. Good luck!

Thank you for the reply!! Should she be isolated from other chicks? I've heard that it was best to keep one or two other chicks with her; however if it's best to have her alone, I can do so. Also, to get her to eat, is there something easier on her stomach than chicken feed? Like something softer? I feel like she won't eat it because it's so rough... She'll drink water from a bottle cap just fine.

 

[Sarah the chicken girl]

Hi I have a 3 day old chick doesn't have spraddled legs but can't really walk seems to try but only on its legs. What can I do. Please help me.

 

[BonDEEroo]

Separation might be a good idea (using a barrier in the same container, so the others can see but not touch). I recently had a spraddly chick progress well from weeks 1-4, standing and walking OK with leg strapping, but then the others got at him/her and removed his bandages while I was away for a few days and undid all the good work. The leg twisted, s/he never walked again and died after an attempt by a vet to splint his/her leg. RIP poor old Floopy (21-4-17 - 23-6-17) - hatched out of the wrong end of the egg, always had something wrong with him/her but full of spirit and guts!

 

[SoCha]

Thank you for the reply!! Should she be isolated from other chicks? I've heard that it was best to keep one or two other chicks with her; however if it's best to have her alone, I can do so. Also, to get her to eat, is there something easier on her stomach than chicken feed? Like something softer? I feel like she won't eat it because it's so rough... She'll drink water from a bottle cap just fine.

Hi, I would definitely separate her from the rest. And if she doesn't want to eat I would take some of her feed and add a little water to it so it's moist, and syringe it into her mouth little by little. And make sure she has enough water. Hope this helps! Sorya

 

[SoCha]

Hi I have a 3 day old chick doesn't have spraddled legs but can't really walk seems to try but only on its legs. What can I do. Please help me.

Hi, you should hold her a little and help her stand. She might just have a harder time then the rest. Keep helping her and she should be fine.

 

[Sarah the chicken girl]

Hi, you should hold her a little and help her stand. She might just have a harder time then the rest. Keep helping her and she should be fine.

How long and how often should I hold her or him I don't think I need to separate it from others as they aren't pecking at him or her.

 

[psychoticturtle]

This is how she sits normally - way forward, and slightly to the left. Also, an update: she drank a bunch of diluted gatorade (I read that out helps give her electrolytes?) & some baby food mixed with water. I'll be going to get some poly vi sol for her water later.

 

[SoCha]

How long and how often should I hold her or him I don't think I need to separate it from others as they aren't pecking at him or her.

I would hold the chick until she is able to at least stand up by herself, and when she is able to stand you can just guide her/him to walk.