Please help my chick can't stand up

[Morag]

I had 6 chicks hatch yesterday, they seemed fine but one wasn't moving much. I've just moved them to the brooder (it's been 24 hours since they hatched) one of them can't stand up and another one seems lop sided, it's head is bent to one side and although it can walk about it doesn't look right. They are bantam wyandottes, from 10 shipped eggs, 7 went to lock down, 6 hatched on day 21, number 7 had pipped underneath but by the time I checked, it's beak was poking through at the wrong end and it was dead.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Could it be spraddle leg?

 

[Morag]

Thanks I'll do a search

 

[ChooksChick]

Don't give up on them just getting out of it- I've had lots of chicks that couldn't get around until day 3, even, and the crooked head is sometimes a product of a large chick in a small egg- it could straighten out, still. Keep an eye on it, though as if it's a skeletal malformation you could have it accelerate...hence my roo named Quasimodo. He had a sever side-scoliosis-like curve to his neck though everything else was perfect. I kept him, thinking so long as he wasn't breeding he'd be fine, but at about 9 mos he got to where he couldn't eat well and began starving. I had to let him go.

 

[kid-n-chickens]

I had the same thing with the not walking at least one of every batch that I hatched some made it and some didnt, what I found worked was I took a regular bandaid and cut in half length wise. Then just below the knees I applied the band aid by wrapping each side around a leg leaving the pad space between the legs. I then put them in a 16 oz. sour cream bowl with a rag crumpled up leaving high and low spaces. Kinda propping him up a little. This kept the others from picking on him or smashing him while he gained his leg strength and kept him from getting spraddle leg. Occassionally there will be one that will climb in with him/her. He/she will get out of the bowl when ready and has enough leg strength. Remove the bandaid.

 

[Morag]

I've put a band aid on and made sure the chick is drinking and eating, it's still not standing on its own but I've been taking it out and gently trying to encourage it. The other chicks don't seem to be bothering it, they all snuggle up together to sleep so I'm leaving them together for now. The one with the bent neck seems much better today.

 

[joeyg4583]

I hope it improves soon. Poor chicky. I am glad to hear your other chick's neck looks better.

 

[kodiman1]

Thanks for asking the question, I just had one that hatched with a crooked neck. I am going let him try and see if he can make it through the first week. Although I must ask, is it cruel of me to let him try or would it be better for me to cull him? He looks rough and cant really stand with his head around ontop of his wing.

I have had them hatch before with their feet curled up and did the band aid thing and it worked really well.

 

[Morag]

My little chick is still going strong but doesn't seem to be growing much, it now seems smaller than its sibblings, with less feathering on the wings, it still has the band aid on and shuffles around, when should I try taking it off?

 

[kid-n-chickens]

If he is up and walking you can take it off now, if for some reason he doesnt continue to walk you can always put it back on. Mine only had to stay on a couple days before they was strong enough!