Please Help! I don't want to lose a chickie! 2 Week Old Pullet Chick with limp?

[Alcornell2]

Hello everyone!
First time chicken farmer here. My husband brought home 12 ISA Browns and 1 RI Red (all 2 weeks old) last week and I've been tending them. Tonight I noticed one of the Browns is sleeping alot more than usual and limping when it tries to eat or drink. They share a large brooder, the lamp is at a good temp, and the food and water are in feeders. They're eating Manna Medicated Chick Starter and I change their pine shavings every other day.

One of the forums I read said it could be vitamin deficiency, one said Mareks, another Cocci, and still another bumble foot. There isn't anything noticeably wrong with her leg/foot and she's eating and drinking fine, she's just extra tired. She's not exceptionally small either.

If someone can tell me where to start, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all!
Amanda

UPDATE 11:28 PM: As suggested by another thread, I force fed her some gatorade (1 ml) and hand fed her some food. She hops around to get comfortable but is curling her right toes under when she lays down. Her left toes are staying flat. She's also shaking a little. She's eating and drinking fine and is about the same size as her buds (except the red who is much smaller, but I think it was the crop issue that I resolved the first night she came home).

Please help! I'm determined to not lose a baby!

Thanks!
Amanda

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I answered your other thread. It sounds more like an injury. I would be careful force feeding any liquids as they can aspirate easily and choke. Best to put electrolytes in their water for everyone if you feel it's necessary.

 

[Alcornell2]

I answered your other thread. It sounds more like an injury. I would be careful force feeding any liquids as they can aspirate easily and choke. Best to put electrolytes in their water for everyone if you feel it's necessary.

Thank you OldHen!
I was trying to go by what other threads had said, but they were so conflicting. Do you think I should make her a little sling? Or just sequester her until it gets better? She keeps moving out of the way but it seems two of the flockmates are deliberately stepping on her (Susan and Charlene).

Thank you so much for your help! I'm relieved its an injury and not something more serious!

Sincerely,
Amanda

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you OldHen!
I was trying to go by what other threads had said, but they were so conflicting. Do you think I should make her a little sling? Or just sequester her until it gets better? She keeps moving out of the way but it seems two of the flockmates are deliberately stepping on her (Susan and Charlene).

Thank you so much for your help! I'm relieved its an injury and not something more serious!

Sincerely,
Amanda

You can make a little separation fence inside your brooder if you think she needs to be separated. I had one last year with a gimpy leg, took a few weeks for it to go away. I would assume with its age it isn't anything more serious. As long as it's eating and drinking fine it should be okay. Rest is good for it.

Generally Mareks isn't seen younger than 6-8 weeks, vitamin deficiencies causes legs, and necks to twist, and coccidiosis wouldn't cause a limp, but it makes them lethargic.

Make sure your feed is a good brand of starter, and it's fairly fresh. I also like to give my chicks a daily treat of scrambled eggs which contain good stuff to help them grow and feather. It can take a day of two for them to decide they like them but after that mine are like piranha for their eggs, and it makes them more friendly. The downside is sometimes their poops get a bit loose and stinky, so don't feed too much of them to avoid it. Mine grow like weeds since adding the eggs into their daily diet.

 

[Alcornell2]

Sounds like I'll be adding eggs! I think I'll separate her for a couple of days; Susan and Charlene are being jerks and seem to purposely follow her to step on her head.

Thank you, again, for all of your insights!
You all are awesome!

Sincerely,
Amanda

 

[Alcornell2]

Happy to report that little Beatrice is up and hobbling around. She's still quite tired, but she's putting a bit of weight on her foot now and hobbles from one side of the brooder to the other. R&R seems to be just the remedy! Thank you, again, OldHen!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Glad to hear she's improving.

 

[BlueHenDel]

Happy to report that little Beatrice is up and hobbling around. She's still quite tired, but she's putting a bit of weight on her foot now and hobbles from one side of the brooder to the other. R&R seems to be just the remedy! Thank you, again, OldHen!

Welcome! This site is the best! Glad you're here.
Good for you and Beatrice. Hope she continues to get stronger and healthier. I have the same exact problem with one of my 2 week old EEs. The other chicks aren't mean to her but somehow always get in the way of her drinking and eating. So passive-aggressive!
Wanted to ask you for a few details re: Beatrice's treatment. Did you separate her? For how long? Give her scrambled eggs and add gatorade in the water? If so, how much gatorade? Etc.....

Thanks in advance! And once again: WELCOME!

Del

 

[BlueHenDel]

You can make a little separation fence inside your brooder if you think she needs to be separated. I had one last year with a gimpy leg, took a few weeks for it to go away. I would assume with its age it isn't anything more serious. As long as it's eating and drinking fine it should be okay. Rest is good for it.

Generally Mareks isn't seen younger than 6-8 weeks, vitamin deficiencies causes legs, and necks to twist, and coccidiosis wouldn't cause a limp, but it makes them lethargic.

Make sure your feed is a good brand of starter, and it's fairly fresh. I also like to give my chicks a daily treat of scrambled eggs which contain good stuff to help them grow and feather. It can take a day of two for them to decide they like them but after that mine are like piranha for their eggs, and it makes them more friendly. The downside is sometimes their poops get a bit loose and stinky, so don't feed too much of them to avoid it. Mine grow like weeds since adding the eggs into their daily diet.

Thank you for the info! I have a 2 week old EE who is limping, too. I thought she was improving, but she suddenly seemed to be worse. We chicken mamas and papas (what a great band!) worry about our babies...

Del