Help! Injured chick!

[browntownfarm]

Yesterday my broody hen hatched out 3 chicks. 1 didn't make it but the other 2 were healthy and walking around with mom. They are in the coop with the other chickens so I wouldn't have to integrate them back in later. The other chickens weren't paying them any attention. Now today one is injured. It won't walk on it's right foot and even it's mom is stepping on it. Is there anything I can do to help? I really don't want to loose it. I will only have one left. Any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[song of joy]

A good mother hen won't step on her chicks, as she tends to be pretty careful moving around them. I'm wondering if the chick(s) may have been injured by the mother hen. Can you isolate mom and babies for a couple of days to see how she does with them? I usually keep my hen and chicks isolated from the rest of the flock during the hatch and for the first 4 days after hatch, so the babies get their footing, learn to eat/drink, and learn to listen to mom. Then I let mom take the babies out with the rest of the flock. If the baby's foot is injured to the point where walking is a bad idea, you could put that chick in a small brooder with heat, food and water to see if the foot mends, and if it does, give it back to mom at night.

 

[browntownfarm]

I went ahead and got the injured one out and brought it in to seperate it. I was going to seperate mom and the babies but she would not let me near her or the other chick at all so I probably should have moved her before the hatch. The injured leg does not look broken so I hope it can recover so I can take it back out to mama! Right now it's hobbling around but still eating drinking and pooping.

 

[browntownfarm]

Here is the chicks foot. I really can't tell what's wrong it but it barely can use it. I don't see any broken bones? Anyone?

 

[browntownfarm]

 

[song of joy]

Here is the chicks foot. I really can't tell what's wrong it but it barely can use it. I don't see any broken bones? Anyone?

It's possible this is a vitamin B deficiency rather than an injury, as the foot is curled and it's leaning on its hocks. This can happen if the breeder flock was not on a high-quality feed. Try putting one drop of Poly-Vi-Sol (without iron) in as much scrambled or hard-boiled egg as the chick is likely to eat. Or, try giving it one drop with a dropper (this is harder to do than putting it in the food). You can usually find Poly-Vi-Sol at drug stores. If it is a deficiency, it's really important to begin treating it immediately to avoid permanent lameness. If it's not a vitamin deficiency, the Poly-Vi-Sol at a rate of 1 drop per day will not hurt the chick, and it may quicken healing.

If you can't get Poly-Vi-Sol right away, give the chick scrambled or hard-boiled egg YOLK, which is high in B vitamins. Be sure to crush it into very small pieces so the chick can eat it. I'd recommend doing the same with the chick that is still with it's mother. Both mom and chicks will like the egg yolks.

 

[browntownfarm]

It's possible this is a vitamin B deficiency rather than an injury, as the foot is curled and it's leaning on its hocks.  This can happen if the breeder flock was not on a high-quality feed.  Try putting one drop of Poly-Vi-Sol (without iron) in as much scrambled or hard-boiled egg as the chick is likely to eat.  Or, try giving it one drop with a dropper (this is harder to do than putting it in the food).  You can usually find Poly-Vi-Sol at drug stores.  If it is a deficiency, it's really important to begin treating it immediately to avoid permanent lameness.  If it's not a vitamin deficiency, the Poly-Vi-Sol at a rate of 1 drop per day will not hurt the chick, and it may quicken healing.

If you can't get Poly-Vi-Sol right away, give the chick scrambled or hard-boiled egg YOLK, which is high in B vitamins.  Be sure to crush it into very small pieces so the chick can eat it.  I'd recommend doing the same with the chick that is still with it's mother.  Both mom and chicks will like the egg yolks.   

Thank you for the advice! I will definitely do that. It was walking fine the first day and didnt start hobbling until day 2 which is whyi assumed it was stepped on. Thanks so much again.

 

[lisaburris1968]

I agree. Great advice.

 

[song of joy]

What happened with your chick? How is it doing?

 

[browntownfarm]

Doing great! I wasn't able to get the vitamin right away so I gave it eggs and bandaged the curled foot! Now it seems very healthy. We named it "lucky" as t was the only one in the clutch that made it. The other was pecked by my bigger hens. This was definitely a learning experience!