Hoping someone might be able to shed some light on a condition that I've encountered twice in the past week. When I came out to the enclosure to check on my older chicks one morning last week, I noticed that one of my Icelandics (~6 Weeks old) had gotten its leg stuck in the feeder at some point during the night. It had been pinned between the feeder and the wall of the enclosure for some unknown length of time overnight, with its right leg strectched out behind it at an angle due to its foot being trapped by the feeder. I extracted it, and quickly determined that it was having lots of trouble walking. It was also being mobbed by the other chicks. I immediately removed and isolated the chick, and as I further observed its issues ambulating, I noticed that it wasn't extending the toes on the right foot. Instead, the toes remained curled, and the chick was essentially trying to walk on its knuckles. This issue was also causing the chick to do an extreme split as it walked. The only way I can describe it is that the right leg couldn't keep up with the chick's body when the chick walked, and would end up extended out behind the bird. Since I discovered the pinned chick last week, I have tried spraddle leg splints, which corrected the "split issue" but the bird is still not extending its toes to walk, and is still seriously limited in terms of mobility. The legs and toes have strength (the chick can kick and grasp) but it's like he's forgotten how to walk. Nothing appears broken or swollen.
Fast forward to this morning, and I find a ~4 week old chick struggling to right itself into a sitting position on the floor of the enclosure. I think that he was pinned underneath another chick/chicks overnight. He has the same issue - his legs and toes work and have strength, but it's like he has forgotten how to walk. He scoots along on his elbows (knees?) and can only seem to scoot backward.
Any thoughts on how I might be able to get these chicks walking again? I have been giving both of them vitamins and electrolytes since their respective injuries.
Fast forward to this morning, and I find a ~4 week old chick struggling to right itself into a sitting position on the floor of the enclosure. I think that he was pinned underneath another chick/chicks overnight. He has the same issue - his legs and toes work and have strength, but it's like he has forgotten how to walk. He scoots along on his elbows (knees?) and can only seem to scoot backward.
Any thoughts on how I might be able to get these chicks walking again? I have been giving both of them vitamins and electrolytes since their respective injuries.
