My chick stopped using her legs

olimaro

In the Brooder
Mar 11, 2025
11
25
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My chick is almost 2 weeks old and was doing just great until yesterday when I noticed she was mostly sitting under the brooder. I put her close to the food and water and she ate and drank and went back. Today she's still alert, eats and drinks if I bring the water and food close to her but she won't get up. Her legs have no sign of injury but if I try to get her up she just seems like she can't use them.
 
My chick is almost 2 weeks old and was doing just great until yesterday when I noticed she was mostly sitting under the brooder. I put her close to the food and water and she ate and drank and went back. Today she's still alert, eats and drinks if I bring the water and food close to her but she won't get up. Her legs have no sign of injury but if I try to get her up she just seems like she can't use them.
can you post pictures? do the legs stick out weird, or are they under her?
 
She's keeping her legs under her. I'm attaching some pictures.
 

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Along with her leg problems I noticed a loss of fluff on her chest and a little under her wings...I can feel her shivering when I'm holding her. I'm wondering if these could be signs of parasites... Is it possible to affect her legs?
 
What is the temperature under the brooder? Can you feed her some lukewarm electrolytes or sugar water by dipping her beak? Mix a little chick crumble with egg yolk and feed her. Do you have any chick vitamins or something like Poultry Cell that contains riboflavin (B2?) What are her poops like? A chick sling might help now to get her up and in front of food and water.
 
I would definitely get her a vitamin containing B2, and start that. Won't hurt anything, and very well may help. The deficiency can come from the parent stock sometimes.
 
What is the temperature under the brooder? Can you feed her some lukewarm electrolytes or sugar water by dipping her beak? Mix a little chick crumble with egg yolk and feed her. Do you have any chick vitamins or something like Poultry Cell that contains riboflavin (B2?) What are her poops like? A chick sling might help now to get her up and in front of food and water.
Thank you for your answer! I can't measure her temperature exactly but it's definitely not too hot. My brooder is set on the lowest setting. I'm giving her food every few hours and to drink with a seringe. I just put a drop on the side of her beak and she drinks by herself. I'm giving her water with electrolytes, vitamins and probiotics. Her poop looks normal. I'm going to go to rural king to look for something with b vitamins...if I can find anything. What is a chick sling? Is it something I can make or I need to buy?
 
Human B complex tablets have riboflavin. Crush 1/2 tablet and mix with a spoonful of water and give a few drops daily. Some chick vitamins (for example Poultry NutriDrench) do not contain riboflavin. That one is really import for leg health in chickens.
 
Human B complex tablets have riboflavin. Crush 1/2 tablet and mix with a spoonful of water and give a few drops daily. Some chick vitamins (for example Poultry NutriDrench) do not contain riboflavin. That one is really import for leg health in chickens.
Thank you so much! I'll do this ASAP
 

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