Help with my runt

[FloorCandy]

The runt who pipped the wrong place and was shrink wrapped is still alive. However, it only lays on its side. Both legs work, but it seems like one is strong and when he flops around the weaker leg won’t hold him and he falls, even if I put him the right way and put things to help him lean on. His leg has no breaks and he kicks it as usual, no splay, no tendon or joint issues. He has not pooped, but he does take food and water from a straw when I offer.

His vent area had looked to be still attached to a cord when he hatched, and seems blocked by dried cord. I’ve been soaking it in warm water and wiping it with a cloth, but there’s no change.

Over all he seems happy, strangely enough, he lays in the incubator making happy chirps and he kicks his legs and moves around. His toes have even started spreading, even though he doesn’t stand on them. He lifts and moves his head, he’s like a weird little animatronic in the incubator, and while he isn’t getting worse, he also isnt improving.

Last thing: he never fluffed up. From his terrible hatch he was covered in grossness. Blood mucus etc. I keep wiping him with a warm cloth and letting him dry in the incubator but I guess that stuff is too sticky, I feel like little by little he’s getting cleaner. I checked and no goo has hardened to impede his legs.

if I can’t get him on the road to recovery today I’ll have to cull him, I don’t mind getting up every few hours to feed him, but he isn’t improving. I haven’t culled him because he doesn’t seem in pain or unhappy.

Any suggestions?

 

[Nabiki]

It sounds like your runt isn't going to thrive. It may look fine now, but I'm willing to bet it will start to droop and get weaker in the next two days, and if not culled will probably die on its own.

I might be wrong, so you might want to give it a day to see if it can get its feet under it. If not, you should probably cull. :-(

 

[FloorCandy]

It sounds like your runt isn't going to thrive. It may look fine now, but I'm willing to bet it will start to droop and get weaker in the next two days, and if not culled will probably die on its own.

I might be wrong, so you might want to give it a day to see if it can get its feet under it. If not, you should probably cull. :-(

That’s kind of what I was thinking would be the answer. As I was helping him hatch and he was making very little effort on his own, I suspected he wouldn’t thrive. If he hasn’t stood by tomorrow I will cull him, or if he stops being so darn happy sounding.
Thank you.

 

[FloorCandy]

He is standing and hobbling around! I put him in a cardboard tube piece so the tube was horizontal and he sat in it like a badger in a hole. I think this helped him get used to staying with feet under him, after a few hours he’s hobbling and eating by himself.

 

[FloorCandy]

 

[FloorCandy]

I didn’t post a pic of him this morning all clammy and laying on his side because I thought for sure that without hearing his happy peeps everyone would say cull him. I wish I had taken a pic so I could show you guys the difference! For the first time I’m hopeful for him.

 

[FloorCandy]

He just successfully pooped on his own!

 

[ButtonBag]

That's such great news! It sounds like he's on the mend and you've done the best for him, I really hope he pulls through.

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

He is standing and hobbling around! I put him in a cardboard tube piece so the tube was horizontal and he sat in it like a badger in a hole. I think this helped him get used to staying with feet under him, after a few hours he’s hobbling and eating by himself.

Amazing! Physical Therapy using adaptive equipment for chicks! What a great idea! I am amazed at how creative bird keepers can be when working with birds that have problems.

 

[FloorCandy]

Amazing! Physical Therapy using adaptive equipment for chicks! What a great idea! I am amazed at how creative bird keepers can be when working with birds that have problems.

I’m crossing my fingers for him. I tried putting him in with the others in the brooder since he was running and jumping, he can manage the brooder but not his sibs. They are still about the same size, but he doesn’t get out of the way and they step on him. So I put a friend in the incubator with him, now both are screaming and pecking the walls, he was fine until he knew there was more out there, now his little bubble isn’t enough.