Help With The Handicap Chick

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

This little one was hatched in December. It had splay leg and I tried to band-aid it several times but it never done any good. So I resolved to keeping her in the house in a tote with a buddy or two. Well the buddy grew up and started being a bully, so I put that one out and brought in two other frizzle chicks younger than her. Now I notice they are stepping all over her and really try to keep her away from the food. So my dh put a piece of cardboard between them and the wounded one.
The wounded one really seems to be able to get around scooting just fine. Tonight I noticed that her other leg seems splayed out too now. But like I said she is getting around just fine to eat, drink, etc., although I think her handicap has interferred with her growth. ( I think she is a hen?). I know for a fact she will never be able to join the "crowd" because she would either starve to death, or get stomped to death. So I have resolved to keeping her as a great pet as she loves attention. I am posting a pic, and I would like to know if you can tell what breed she is, as I believe I got her as a fill in egg.

Also any tips you can give me to keep her healthy and happy in the house in her little tote. She has a little teddy bear she cannot live without. I just don't want her to be lonly, but I guess I am going to eventually have to put the two new bullies back outside. I want to know about bathing her, as since she scoots, she gets a lot of shavings and feed sturck to her belly, not caked on, but kernals here and there that I know cannot be comfortable when she is scooting everywhere.

www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/72643_littlechicktricks_002.jpg

 

[gryeyes]

I have a disabled chick, too, with what sounds like the same handicap. Mine is a cockerel and he scoots around in the brooder like he's swimming in the shavings. He uses one wing and his good leg. He is eating and drinking; he actually hoists himself up to the waterer on the good leg, leans against the waterer and reaches over the edge of the waterer base to drink. I call him Tiny Tim.

He is in a brooder with other chicks, some four weeks older. They treat him fine. Yes, they inadvertently step on his outstretched wing, or the bad leg, but when he squawks and wriggles, they move. One of the older pullets actually lets him snuggle up to her body and they sleep together, along with another chick the same age as is Tiny Tim.

He isn't growing as fast as the other chick his age, and I'm pretty certain he won't make it outside. However, last night and this morning I noticed he has been practicing standing, by hoisting himself up on the good leg, leaning against the brooder wall, and then putting his few ounces of body weight on BOTH legs. After a while he drops back down to his belly. But he is using he other leg to push off more frequently.

Nobody is picking on him at all. I don't know if he will get any better, but he is certainly developing some muscles in his wings for that swimming motion!

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Wow, sounds exactly like mine. Only difference is that when the bullies stand on her she hollers a lot and they just stand there.

 

[mrsfig]

How are both of your girls doing, now? I ask because I have a handicapped pullet 14 wks. I have 6 girls total and they ave always been together, " Ginger" developed her issue at 3 wks started limping. After vet visits, no breaks, meds. They think it's neurological. Recently it's started looking like a bowed leg when I make her stand, otherwise she doesn't use the leg, drags it behind her. Today, she is having an hard time, no longer hopping on 1 leg or flying to get places. She falls over, on her side as if I
Her good leg is going bad. Not sure what to do. She does live w the others, in henhouse and coop, I put her in her nest box an hour before everyone, and her sis goes in and snugglesnw her, and I put her out in the morning. If she loses feeling in both legs don't know what to do. Crying most of the day, don't wanna put her down. And one of my girls has been laying for a week! Yes at 14 wks old. Any suggestions will help. Thanks