Leg limping

[Plumitas]

My babies are 16 days old and this morning I noticed one of them was very sleepy and even though the other baby chicken run over it she kind of move but was not getting up. I picked it up and I realized that one of the legs is not working. I couldn’t feel anything broken but I am not a veterinarian. I gave water with sugar, water with electrolytes and she is swallowing it but she acts like she is gasping for air (opens the beak wide). What happened to it? anybody has had this problem with baby chicken? Thank you.

 

[boskelli1571]

My babies are 16 days old and this morning I noticed one of them was very sleepy and even though the other baby chicken run over it she kind of move but was not getting up. I picked it up and I realized that one of the legs is not working. I couldn’t feel anything broken but I am not a veterinarian. I gave water with sugar, water with electrolytes and she is swallowing it but she acts like she is gasping for air (opens the beak wide). What happened to it? anybody has had this problem with baby chicken? Thank you.

This doesn't sound good but first some questions - is she warm enough? Sometimes a weak chick gets pushed to the side.
Has she been eating/drinking ok up till now?
Is she accepting the water you offer? Is she alert?
If she will eat you need to make some mash. Take a small quantity of feed and make an oatmeal consistency with your electrolyte water, offer her small bites at a time. Keep her warm and away from the others right now.
If she starts to perk up then worry about the leg.
Is the leg deformed at all? She may just be weak, only time will tell, please keep us informed..
@Eggcessive @aart

 

[aart]

Sorry you are having trouble @Plumitas

I couldn’t feel anything broken but I am not a veterinarian. I gave water with sugar, water with electrolytes and she is swallowing it but she acts like she is gasping for air (opens the beak wide).

Is it hot where you are, maybe she panting from heat and/or stress?
How did you administer the liquids?
Did she drink them on her own?
Be very careful with giving liquids to the mouth, if it gets in their lungs they can 'drown'.
I use a Qtip soaked in the liquid, hold it against the side of the beak so it seeps into mouth, stroke under beak and on front of neck up near beak to stimulate swallowing.
Here some tips on how to do that safely:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chick. Pictures of the leg in a standing position while held up would be good. There might be a slipped tendon or a leg bone deformity that has made it hard to get to food and water.

 

[Plumitas]

This doesn't sound good but first some questions - is she warm enough? Sometimes a weak chick gets pushed to the side.
Has she been eating/drinking ok up till now?
Is she accepting the water you offer? Is she alert?
If she will eat you need to make some mash. Take a small quantity of feed and make an oatmeal consistency with your electrolyte water, offer her small bites at a time. Keep her warm and away from the others right now.
If she starts to perk up then worry about the leg.
Is the leg deformed at all? She may just be weak, only time will tell, please keep us informed..
@Eggcessive @aart

Thank you for your input. The answer to your 5 questions are, in the same order:
Yes, yes, no, kind of, no.
I made the oatmeal like paste and I am hand- feeding her, I am using a very fine dropper to give her water and she accepts everything but she still gasp for air. Thank to the video about how to hand feed a baby chick I know now I am doing right so it’s not me making her gasp. Today is her second day surviving and I hope she will make it; I named her Plumitas. Please pray forPlumitas, it doesn’t matter if she limps the rest of her life, I love my chick just the same. Once she gains more strength I will post a picture of her leg. Thank you.

 

[Plumitas]

Third day and plumitas is still with us. She does gasp right after feeding and watering; while she sleeps she doesn’t do it. Today she ate a little more and she is getting used to being held. I used an styrofoam block 1” thick to create a “crib” by making a hole in the middle, big enough for her tiny body to be held in so she doesn’t roll over when she moves. Keep praying please.