Little Cochin with balance issues...

[halfwaynowhere]

For those that follow My Pet Chicken on FB, you may have seen their post yesterday about chicks abandoned at the post office. I have them now, picked them up this morning from the person who got them yesterday.

2 didn't make it. From what I heard, they'd been at the PO for more than a day. There are two standard Australorps, a bantam welsummer, and a bantam Cochin. The Cochin isn't looking good. She's been a little sleepier than the others and now she isn't balancing well.

I put her upright on her feet, and she slumps over, always to the right. This is a pretty recent development, although she's been weak all day. She's already my favorite and I don't want to lose her! What can I do? Any ideas?

 

[PokeyMomma]

Sugar water or honey water? I've read to give that to weak chicks to give them a boost of energy...good luck, she is darling!

 

[halfwaynowhere]

I've tried clear pedialyte and she perked up a bit, but still can't keep herself upright. I'm thinking maybe there's an issue with her right leg, although I don't really know how to tell.

 

[PokeyMomma]

It may have been injured by the bigger birds. If they start to trample on her or peck her I'd divide off a section if the brooder that is private for her. I think hard boiled egg yolks (just a little crumbled on top of her food) might entice her to eat and thru eating shell get stronger!

 

[halfwaynowhere]

after further inspection, her right hock seems to be a bit bruised looking. I'm thinking possibly a slipped tendon. When I popped in to check on the chicks and found her like this, the others were trampling her a bit, so maybe it had just happened.

I've got her in my lap now. I found instructions to correct the tendon so I tried it, but she's so tiny it's hard to see if I did it right. I'm trying to keep her immobilized for a few hours to see if it helps. She's perfectly happy where she is, even sleeping in my hand, on her back with her little legs stretched out (If she can stretch them out, that should mean that the tendon is back in place, right?).

 

[halfwaynowhere]

She perked up for a bit but now looks like she's fading fast. I don't think she can be saved. There was definitely a leg issue but she's also just really weak. The pedialyte perks her up for a minute or two. I tried giving her yolk from a hard boiled egg but she won't eat. This sucks.

 

[Sk8inChick(en)]

aw, so sorry!

 

[LukensFarms]

Sorry. When chicks are weak I like to put them in a incubator. Then they get the perfect heat and humidity. When they get sick, taking them from their heat source even if you are trying to help them makes them weaker. Remember they would hide under their mom naturally.