My 1 week old baby chicken is (i think) injured.

[ChickenNoob312]

So when it hatched it was fine and ok, but when I checked on it today it was hopping on one leg. so I picked it up and I saw that its foot was sideways. like it was bending to the side, and it had no control of its toes. it also looks like the joint where the leg connects to the body is not pointing downwards, and is pointing more to the side unlike the other side. the chick doesn't look like it's in pain but it definitely struggling to get inside the mom feathers and struggling with walking.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Maybe the hen stepped on it, but since you caught this so fast, it can probably be fixed. You'll have to keep it indoors, though. Can you come up with some type of heated brooder for it?

I would try to see if you can feel where it's out of joint, and gently see if you can straighten the leg back under the chick. Then bind it there for support. You could cut a bandaid to tape the legs like shown in this article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/splay-leg-and-spraddle-leg-treatment.78240/

Depending how bad it really is, and how you do with it, it might not need to be bound or if so, just for a day or two.

If you have any poultry vitamins, I would put that it its water or just give it a few drops via an eyedropper, assuming what you have is like Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell.

 

[ChickenNoob312]

Hi,

Maybe the hen stepped on it, but since you caught this so fast, it can probably be fixed. You'll have to keep it indoors, though. Can you come up with some type of heated brooder for it?

I would try to see if you can feel where it's out of joint, and gently see if you can straighten the leg back under the chick. Then bind it there for support. You could cut a bandaid to tape the legs like shown in this article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/splay-leg-and-spraddle-leg-treatment.78240/

Depending how bad it really is, and how you do with it, it might not need to be bound or if so, just for a day or two.

i have a brooder plate, but im not home most of the day except weekends, so i cant really tend to it. and it seems the little chick is still going under the hen. but i put the heating plate in their cage just incase it gets isolated

 

[Debbie292d]

i have a brooder plate, but im not home most of the day except weekends, so i cant really tend to it. and it seems the little chick is still going under the hen. but i put the heating plate in their cage just incase it gets isolated

That's a great idea, except, my guess is if you don't fix it, that's the way it's going to stay. You can check it in the morning and see if somehow it rectified itself. If not, the longer it goes, the harder it is to fix.

 

[ChickenNoob312]

That's a great idea, except, my guess is if you don't fix it, that's the way it's going to stay. You can check it in the morning and see if somehow it rectified itself. If not, the longer it goes, the harder it is to fix.

will do, thanks for the help

 

[ChickenNoob312]

Hi,

Maybe the hen stepped on it, but since you caught this so fast, it can probably be fixed. You'll have to keep it indoors, though. Can you come up with some type of heated brooder for it?

I would try to see if you can feel where it's out of joint, and gently see if you can straighten the leg back under the chick. Then bind it there for support. You could cut a bandaid to tape the legs like shown in this article.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/splay-leg-and-spraddle-leg-treatment.78240/

Depending how bad it really is, and how you do with it, it might not need to be bound or if so, just for a day or two.

If you have any poultry vitamins, I would put that it its water or just give it a few drops via an eyedropper, assuming what you have is like Nutri-Drench or Poultry Cell.

some unfortunate news, i picked the little guy up this morning and looked at it's leg and the joint is completely broken, like theres an opening where you can see into the upper leg, and the bottom leg as completely off to the side. i do suspect the hen accidentally stepped on it though. but the little one is still drinking and eating. and theres a heating plate in there for it. hopefully it survives these cold cold nights. and also if i could take a week old baby cghick to a vet, its not like i can afford it.

 

[ChickenNoob312]

So when it hatched it was fine and ok, but when I checked on it today it was hopping on one leg. so I picked it up and I saw that its foot was sideways. like it was bending to the side, and it had no control of its toes. it also looks like the joint where the leg connects to the body is not pointing downwards, and is pointing more to the side unlike the other side. the chick doesn't look like it's in pain but it definitely struggling to get inside the mom feathers and struggling with just an update to anyone who helped me. the little one survived the night, and when i checked it this morning, the joint on the leg was completely broken. there was a little hole where you could leterally look into the upper leg, and the lower leg is completely off to the side, and theres what im assuming is bone, sticking out a bit. but the little one is still going strong with its struggled hopping, and it is still eating and drinking. and there is a heating plate in there for it incase it cant get under the mom.

 

[Debbie292d]

some unfortunate news, i picked the little guy up this morning and looked at it's leg and the joint is completely broken, like theres an opening where you can see into the upper leg, and the bottom leg as completely off to the side. i do suspect the hen accidentally stepped on it though. but the little one is still drinking and eating. and theres a heating plate in there for it. hopefully it survives these cold cold nights. and also if i could take a week old baby cghick to a vet, its not like i can afford it.

The break might have been moving around, which caused the opening. It's got to be painful for it. It also can now get an infection. I'd put a little bit of triple antibiotic ointment (without painkiller) on it and try splint the leg. It really should be separated though as the others and its mom are no doubt making it worse.

I know this chick could be worked with but you don't sound like you're able to. I think if I were in that predicament, I'd put the little one down as it's probably suffering.