limping baby chick

[cnpoxm]

Hello, I have noticed that one of a dozen chickens, which are all 11-12 days old, limps avoiding stepping on the right leg. He spends most of the time sitting in a corner not eating or drinking much. Occasionally gets excited together with the other chicks, but quickly gives up the game after a few limps. He is a bit smaller than the rest of the group (probably, because he avoids walks to the feeder). I could think of a few reasons why this happened: injury, developmental disorder, disease. What I would like to ask is if there is anything I could do beside isolating him from the rest and keeping an eye on him? He also sometimes "yawns" unlike other chicks. He is in the cage with the rest but now separated from them by chicken wire in his own corner with food and water. When inside his compartment he eats and drinks eagerly, but once in a while attempts to join the group trying to push himself through the wire. References and advices are greatly appreciated! Thanks, C.

 

[Kedreeva]

First of all, welcome!

Secondly, did you check him over to make sure the foot is not deformed or sporting a visible injury? If it's just a bruise that you can't see that is one thing (maybe it kicked something or someone ran into it if it was not limping since hatching). If there's no external damage, it could be a case of a tendon injury, making it hard for the bird to walk on it.... I'm not sure how one fixes that or differentiates, but there may be someone else who CAN tell you that. If it's not an external injury, bruise, or tendon injury, it is possible that it could be something in the brain. Check the right side wing for functionality as well.

 

[cnpoxm]

Thanks! No visible reason for limping. No swelling, or wound, or deformity. Wings seem to be okay, the chick uses them to help himself to get around. It has probably been going for a while as he is weaker and a bit smaller than the rest. The others are active and fighting already -- another problem! I had to take him out of his confinement, at least temporarily, worrying that he might hurt himself trying to get out. He doesn't eat/drink much because of his disability.