DAY ONE: I assisted the hatch of a tiny Serama chick, smallest chicken I've ever seen in my life. The leg appeared quite deformed: bending the opposite way that it should at the joint, appeared shorter than the other leg, and lots of twisted toes. I watched it thrash around the incubator for a few hours, hoping that it just needed to collect itself and dry off a little. No progress... Just lots of wiggling on its back. (This isn't spraddle leg, it has to be something else.)
I taped the toes and leg with a BandAids. It was still unable to walk, of course. I moved it into a small container, so that it was held upright in the warmth of the brooder. I administered two drops of Polyvisol (vitamins) which it seemed unable to swallow (bubbling at the beak). So I figured it needed time and left it alone.
DAY TWO: The chick was vocal. And squirmy! I removed the BandAid to take a look. To my relief, the leg seemed to be bending properly, and the toes were much straighter. Curious, I placed the chick on a paper towel. It waddled a few steps, before flipping onto its side and unable to get back up. So I taped the toes once again (not the leg that time) and placed it back in its little cup in the warm brooder. I again tried to administer a couple drops of vitamin water off of a Q-tip, but the chick again seemed unable to swallow... Making "hiccuping" motions and bubbling at the beak, not making the natural throwback motion that a chick makes when I give it water for the first time. So I stopped. Figured it needed more time.
DAY THREE: Progresses has halted, even regressed. Chick is still completely uninterested in food or water. Still bubbles at the beak and twitches unaturally when I give it a couple drops of vitamin water. And the chick's leg appears to have stiffened straight. Still unable to hobble more than a couple steps or pick itself up after flipping on its back.
DAY FOUR--SO NOW MY CONCERNS: Chick has shown no signs of progress, and seems even weaker than before. When I try to give it a drop or two of vitamin water, it still seems unable to swallow. Again, bubbling at the beak and making odd jerking motions that are not like the typical throwback motions that a drinking chick makes. Chick continues to flop over onto its back or side, legs flipping about, unable to correct itself.
Do you have any ideas as to what could be wrong or what I could try to do for this chick?
Should I be concerned about the fact that it has not eaten or drank in days?
Should I be concerned that the chick, when forced a drop or two of water, seems unable to swallow?
Am I going to drown the chick by continuing to force it to "drink" ?
If the chick continues to struggle, not eating or drinking, when should I consider culling it? I'm willing to try for as long as it takes to save this chick. The only reason that I ask is because I am concerned that the chick might be in pain... I don't want to see it have to die slowly, painfully... or starve... despite my best efforts.
I taped the toes and leg with a BandAids. It was still unable to walk, of course. I moved it into a small container, so that it was held upright in the warmth of the brooder. I administered two drops of Polyvisol (vitamins) which it seemed unable to swallow (bubbling at the beak). So I figured it needed time and left it alone.
DAY TWO: The chick was vocal. And squirmy! I removed the BandAid to take a look. To my relief, the leg seemed to be bending properly, and the toes were much straighter. Curious, I placed the chick on a paper towel. It waddled a few steps, before flipping onto its side and unable to get back up. So I taped the toes once again (not the leg that time) and placed it back in its little cup in the warm brooder. I again tried to administer a couple drops of vitamin water off of a Q-tip, but the chick again seemed unable to swallow... Making "hiccuping" motions and bubbling at the beak, not making the natural throwback motion that a chick makes when I give it water for the first time. So I stopped. Figured it needed more time.
DAY THREE: Progresses has halted, even regressed. Chick is still completely uninterested in food or water. Still bubbles at the beak and twitches unaturally when I give it a couple drops of vitamin water. And the chick's leg appears to have stiffened straight. Still unable to hobble more than a couple steps or pick itself up after flipping on its back.
DAY FOUR--SO NOW MY CONCERNS: Chick has shown no signs of progress, and seems even weaker than before. When I try to give it a drop or two of vitamin water, it still seems unable to swallow. Again, bubbling at the beak and making odd jerking motions that are not like the typical throwback motions that a drinking chick makes. Chick continues to flop over onto its back or side, legs flipping about, unable to correct itself.
Do you have any ideas as to what could be wrong or what I could try to do for this chick?
Should I be concerned about the fact that it has not eaten or drank in days?
Should I be concerned that the chick, when forced a drop or two of water, seems unable to swallow?
Am I going to drown the chick by continuing to force it to "drink" ?
If the chick continues to struggle, not eating or drinking, when should I consider culling it? I'm willing to try for as long as it takes to save this chick. The only reason that I ask is because I am concerned that the chick might be in pain... I don't want to see it have to die slowly, painfully... or starve... despite my best efforts.
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