Limping/falling over 3 week old chick-Help

[LizzieD]

Hello-
My adorable and otherwise extremely healthy 3 wk old chick (1 of 3) suddenly is limping, falling over as she tries to move as usual. She obviously hurt her leg somehow and is off balance even in the large cardboard box with hay and food/water I keep them in most of the time with their adoptive Momma.

She has been raised by my silkie hen and doing well until this morning when I let them out to free range. I saw that she had trouble walking, falling a bit and moved them all inside to be together. I put some vetrimycin on a tiny red spot on her mid-knee. She still tries to walk @ as usual and wants to be with her Momma hen. I'm worried. Any help/ideas for her????

 

[LizzieD]

She is the yellow one on top of the silkie. This was taken a few days ago.

 

[Kiki]

I would start with vitamins, Nutritional Drench and electrolytes. What does her poop look like.

 

[LizzieD]

Thanks! Her poop appears to be fine. I am not sure what/where to get vitamins, nutritional drench and electrolytes. Where do you find those? Or do you make your own?

It is so sad to see her falling over and over. She wants to be with the Momma so badly. When I separate them (and hold her or keep her in my lap) it seems to stress the Momma and baby out. I gave her a scrambled egg with garlic powder, some watermelon and of course the chick started I got from the feed store. All stores and vets are closed today.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry you are having trouble with your chick.

Oh my, that's a precious family!

Well the baby sounds a little young for Marek's (be aware still though) and if you see a wound causing it, to me that's kind of good. Though I just realized the injury could be a side effect of the imbalance, not the opposite as I was originally thinking! Be sure and pay attention to for other symptoms like sleepiness, not eating/drinking, how the droppings appear. Little clues, they all add up.

You could keep them locked in so mama can't get to far away. Or I would make sure that she doesn't fall too far behind, predators are good at spotting the weak. Some mama's are good at listening when the chicks says, hey slow down I wanna get warm.. while others will forage away and the chick will grow weaker. Making sure other birds don't pick on the babe is important, some flocks' dynamics are brutal!

Are you feeding a starter or a flock raiser or layer? Rather, what do you feed including treats and supplements? Silkies are especially prone to some vitamin deficiencies/diseases and such. Wouldn't hurt to give them an occasional supplement like poultry nutridrench, birds vitamins, or even poly vi sol baby vitamins with NO iron.. according to the labels but never more than 10 days in a row. Electrolytes (pedialyte, gatorade, easy homemade recipe from web) and probiotics (or foods containing them) are also great when a bird might could use a little boost, as well as a little protein like some scrambled egg with all it's micro-nutrients and ease of digestion. Do NOT give things like corn or lettuce as they are very low in nutrients.

Any idea how the wound happened?

Wish I could be more help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Simple electrolyte recipe is.. 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon EACH salt and baking soda. Stir until dissolved and serve full strength.

If you have any pet stores, they should have bird vitamins if not the nutridrench. Even walmart might have some probiotic pack. Any pharmacy should have the poly vi sol baby vitamins with NO iron. You gotta make sure it has the B's though as the other brand Wally carried did not.

Do not give melon or anything else like that unless you can get the bird to eat nothing else at this point. It is mostly water and you need nutrients on board. Sounds like you are trying hard already, hope the chick feels better!

ETA: If I have someone with weakness like shipped chicks, They will get a direct drop or two of the vitamins on the top of their beak and when it rolls around they should gobble it in. This is safe and will not overdose the birds, as well as is usually indicated on the label.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

limping, falling.....tiny red spot on her mid-knee

Can you post some photos of her standing and of the red spot on her knee?

 

[LizzieD]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Sorry you are having trouble with your chick.

Oh my, that's a precious family!

Well the baby sounds a little young for Marek's (be aware still though) and if you see a wound causing it, to me that's kind of good. Though I just realized the injury could be a side effect of the imbalance, not the opposite as I was originally thinking! Be sure and pay attention to for other symptoms like sleepiness, not eating/drinking, how the droppings appear. Little clues, they all add up.

You could keep them locked in so mama can't get to far away. Or I would make sure that she doesn't fall too far behind, predators are good at spotting the weak. Some mama's are good at listening when the chicks says, hey slow down I wanna get warm.. while others will forage away and the chick will grow weaker. Making sure other birds don't pick on the babe is important, some flocks' dynamics are brutal!

Are you feeding a starter or a flock raiser or layer? Rather, what do you feed including treats and supplements? Silkies are especially prone to some vitamin deficiencies/diseases and such. Wouldn't hurt to give them an occasional supplement like poultry nutridrench, birds vitamins, or even poly vi sol baby vitamins with NO iron.. according to the labels but never more than 10 days in a row. Electrolytes (pedialyte, gatorade, easy homemade recipe from web) and probiotics (or foods containing them) are also great when a bird might could use a little boost, as well as a little protein like some scrambled egg with all it's micro-nutrients and ease of digestion. Do NOT give things like corn or lettuce as they are very low in nutrients.

Any idea how the wound happened?

Wish I could be more help.

Thank you so much!

 

[LizzieD]

I would start with vitamins, Nutritional Drench and electrolytes. What does her poop look like.

Thank you very much!

 

[LizzieD]

So the good news is that she is alert and awake. She is eating a LOT and wants to walk around in her small quarantine box, but ends up falling over on her back. Then she is unable to get up. I hope it isn't Marek's and that my other birds are safe. Also I don't want her to suffer.