Limping Baby Chick

[MonsterPrincess]

This is the first time I've ever had chickens and I received my order of baby chicks on Tuesday. This morning one of the little chicks is sitting a lot and she's having a hard time walking. We got her out of the brooder and she can stand but she sort of just uses one foot for balance and puts her weight on the other and she limps. She definitely draws that leg up whenever she can. There's no visible injury or swelling and other than that, she's alert and interested. She drinks and eats.

Any thoughts on how to care for her?

Thanks in advance,
Betsy

 

[teddiliza]

I had a chick with the same problem. It's joint was really red and swollen in its right leg. It would limp when it walked and kept it up when standing. I just made sure it visited the water and food plenty of times by hand carrying it there, then moving it back to the light when it was done eating and drinking. It has spent a lot of time resting, and less time eating so it is smaller than the other chicks, but it is doing better and no longer limping.
Good luck with your chick. It may have to become your baby for a few days.

 

[ChickCorea]

I have an almost week-old chick with the same problem. It's been a year, but do you remember what you did? How is the chicken now?

 

[ChooksChick]

ChickCorea, I have one I've been treating for a week with that same problem, and I've kept her from the other chicks- just a couple in there for pals- and have her in a Rubbermaid tub with light and water and food for the small group. I have a small box so they can shade from the light if they choose.

I have made sure she isn't getting bumped around by the others, and I've been feeding her the occasional full crop of scrambled eggs from my hens, mashed to tiny bits with a fork, then moistened more with milk or cream, since I don't see her drinking much. She's eating and growing, getting strong enough to walk short distances, but I'm not feeling a full crop when I pick her up, when her pals' are always full. She gobbles it down and seems to enjoy life well!

I'm very fond of her already, so I'm watching every move. I've put electrolytes and vitamins in the waterer, and believe it or not, I have faux fur down in the bin for a floor. It's 3/4" nap, so the poo doesn't stick or sink down into it; I can shake it off to clean it. This was because she doesn't snuggle up with the others and is sometimes alone, and also because she has a callous on the back of the hock of her 'good' leg.

It's made a difference. I encourage you to do what feels right, and hope you have a good success with your chick! Anything is worth a try!

 

[chookchick]

I had a chick that was having similar problems at one week old. She was smaller than the others, and I think she may have gotten injured by them jumping on her. She seemed unable to walk well, and slept a lot. Since I didn't have any "quiet" chicks to put in with her, I made a small circle with hardware cloth in one corner of the brooder. Part of the circle was under the lamp. I put a feather duster in with her, and food and water in measuring cups. I also gave her poly-vi-sol drop twice a day. After two days, she was doing great, and begging to go out with the rowdy bunch. She is still much smaller, but she is feisty, and doing very well.

 

[ChooksChick]

I had requested help when I found this trouble in my chick, and someone suggested the poly-vi-sol to me- I found this today, and it explains why something as simple as vitamins might make a huge difference.


Rickets - Deficiency of Vitamin D3, calcium and/or phosphorus. Add cod liver oil and DiCal or steamed bone meal.

Vitamin E deficiency - Crazy chick disease. Add source of pure Vitamin E.

Curly Toe Paralysis - Deficiency of riboflavin. Add milk products.

Perosis or slipped tendon - Deficiency of choline, manganese, biotin. Add choline, manganese, and/or biotin.

Vitamin A deficiency - Pale birds. Add cod liver oil.


In my girl's case, I think it looks like the Perosis or Slipped Tendon situation, and the vitamins I've been using have a good organic, natural source of all of those things.

Today, for the first time, she jumped up on the box that all of the other birds are using to get to the top (to perch) of the Rubbermaid tub they're in. She didn't get any farther, and ws content just to lie down and observe the others (as she always has), but she couldn't stand without her legs collapsing under her a week ago!

I'm very proud of her spirit!

 

[ScrmnWoody]

Quote:
I have a six week old that appears double jointed. She can barely put any weight on the leg. She eats and drinks. But, she is slightly undersized compared to her "litter mates".

The best I can come up with (after reading everything I can find) is slipped tendon. Probably happened as an injury as a younger chick, I'm guessing. They all have the same controlled diet.

Where do you get these supplements? And, how do you give them only to the one bird?

 

[ChooksChick]

I just used a liquid vitamin supplement meant for humans that contained all three- I keep it for our family in the fridge.

If you have a pet store around, there's a liquid bird vitamin you can get that contains choline, called Vita-sol.

I hope it helps!

 

[Dremoses]

I have a 15 hour old chick. She will not put her left leg down. Almost sits back on her bottom or only put weight on the hock when she moves. She's clearly smaller then her siblings and doesn't move around like they do.
She hatched last night and they are all still in the incubator.
I have no idea what to do. It's my first hatch

 

[alyssageorge0]

I have a chick who just started limping what should I do