My chick can't use it's legs!!!!!! PLEASE HELP

[Hannah304]

We recently hatched an Aseel chick. It hatched two days ago and it hasn't walked since. It lives with its mom and is constantly under her for warmth ontop a bed of newspaper. I recently found out the newspaper can be bad for the chick and cause straddle leg but after some research I don't know if that is what's wrong with the chick. The chicks legs don't move and stay at her side near her face. It basically just waddles around on its butt and has its wings spraled out all the time, and it chirps a lot too. Is this due to the newspaper or is it something else! I don't know what to do for it! We have experience with other chicks and chickens and have NEVER seen anything like this??

EXTRA INFO: It was hatched under a silkie chicken and brought in from another chicken ranch with some other eggs the other ones didn't make it? We think because the drive from the ranch to here was so long that they didn't stay warm enough. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP US! I fear for the poor baby's life if it can't even stand. WHAT SHOULD I DO???

 

[Hannah304]

I also forgot to mention that it hasn't ate or drink anything and I was wondering if this was normal? I'm a first time user of this site but I would truly appreciate anything you could have to say...

 

[katwoman]

We have three week old chicks. Yesterday one of them all of a sudden could not use its legs. I did not know newspaper was bad. We have it under wood chips. We are just trying to make sure the chick gets food and water. We also put her by herself cause the other chicks started pecking her right away. We have been giving her water with a dropper with a couple of drops of rescue remedy in it. She is eating ok by herself right now. Hope your chick makes it or at least doesn't suffer.

 

[bittersweet1953]

I have a 6 week old chick who suddenly can't/won't stand also. I read the posts for the "dizzy chick" and have been feeding her acidulated water, then water with electrolytes, raw egg (which she loves!) but no improvement. She has been isolated from the rest of our small flock to prevent any further injury to her or risk of infecting the rest of our chicks. This has been ongoing for almost a week. We are first timers. I am going to pick up the poly vi sol vitamins. Is this a disease? She doesn't cry out when I touch her legs and feet and yet she is unable to support herself.

any advise would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
Barb

 

[jldschickens]

Hi Barb,

I had this same problem a while back and promised everyone I would post once I learned what was wrong with my 7-week old Buff Rock. Unfortunately, many other medical challenges (mine) took precedence, and now I can't find the original message! Here is the long overdue explanation, which may apply to your chick as well.

I called my homeopathic Vet who knew what it was right away. He said it has nothing to do with nutrition, lack of vitamins, etc. At this age the chicks grow so fast that sometimes they "pop" the tendons in their legs, which is painful if they walk. This is NOT a disease or vitamin
deficiency. He told me to give Buffy 1/8 of a Glucosamine pill and see if that worked. Fortunately, I had Hyalun, which is a liquid joint supplement I prefer for my animals (horses/dogs) over Glucosamine and Chondrotin. I gave her a drop of Hyalun twice a day for a week and no response so I took her down to the Vet, who euthanized her for me at no cost. He told me that this is not that uncommon and after talking with people, as well as this forum, I would guess that he's right.

judy

 

[bittersweet1953]

Yikes! well our girl is doing much better. My DH started out with pediasure, then honey water, raw egg, some of her starter food, and then tomatoes. We learned she will scoot to the other side of the crate to get at them. She is not 100% yet, still can't walk but kinda crawls on the ground when we take her outside. She is eating her normal chick starter food, but there were days that DH held her and using a needle-less syringe dribble water to her beak. We still have not placed her back with the other chicks and I am worried about doing that anyhow... we already have a strong pecking order with the remaining 8 chicks.

We are still taking it one day at a time with her, she may end up being a house chick..

thanks
Barb

 

[jldschickens]

Good to hear, Barb! Yes, I tried a few of those things but my little chick would not even scoot to get to her food or water; I had to pick her up and hand feed her. When she did try to walk she would flap her wings and jump instead of taking a step. Her poor little legs had atrophied by the time I gave up and took her to the Vet. She was never with the other 11 chicks as I knew they would pick on her; she stayed with me.

Good luck I hop your chick continues to progress.

judy