Newborn Chick Has An Injured Leg?

[MaxPlastic]

Hi all. I am currently staying with my parents before school starts again. They raise chickens since moving out to the country to enjoy homegrown eggs. My littlest sister is particularly fond of them as little buddies. Anyway, while I am not really a particular fan of chickens, I have kind of taken it upon myself to help out with the chicken yard.

One of the sizzles started brooding on about six eggs a few weeks ago and the clutch is starting to hatch. Monday a little chick was born, so it's a little under four days old now. Today when I went out to check on the mama and baby, and to see if any other eggs had started cracking, I noticed the chick wasn't putting pressure on one leg. I picked it up and looked at it and there was small discharge coming from the joint (I think). I don't know if this is a recent development or not, as I haven't handled or really bothered the mama and chick since it was hatched. I put the little dude back in the coop, and I showed it where the baby meal and the water were, as I wasn't sure if mama had done it or not (It's her first clutch that I know of). It happily ate and drank and then wobbled and tumbled back to mama. The question I had was... What could be wrong? I looked at the forum and saw some similar stories, but at the risk of getting yelled at, I started this new thread so I could post my own pictures





These were taken maybe an hour or two after I first noticed the leg. This doesn't show any discharge, but you can see the redness. The leg was still warm, and its little toes would still wriggle so I don't think it's blocked or anything, but it definitely doesn't like walking. If any of you have seen this before, I would love some insight. Thanks! ^_^

 

[cassidy22]

If you can isolate this chick in it's own brooder, where it won't get stepped on by other birds or chicks, with a heat lamp, food and water - it might resolve itself on its own. We have seen this plenty of times and the birds grow up just fine. But they need to be alone, so they don't have to compete for food (they can't move as well, so don't get as much food) and so they don't get trampled by chicks that move much faster than them. They also often get pecked, and can't defend themselves. So if you get the bird isolated, and let it heal on its own, it might turn out JUST fine.

 

[MaxPlastic]

Well right now it's the only hatchling, so it has the food and water all to itself...
I guess for now I'll just wait and see