Remove a weak chick from its mother?

[renay]

I let a broody hen hatch out chicks. The hatching period lasted 6 days with 4 chicks surviving. The chick hatched on the last day is obviously much smaller and weaker than the chick hatched on the first day.

This little chick seems to have circulation problems with her feet. When she hatched yesterday morning her feet were normal looking and yellow. But within 12 hours they started to look purplish with the baby toes darker than the rest. I can stretch her legs out without issue and she can stand on them, although she prefers to sit back on her hocks. I can't feel a slipped tendon, although this is my first experience with chicks, so what do I know?!

I have added vitamins to the water and am prepared to make shoes or the like to correct curled toes or straddle leg if that's what it turns out to be.

My biggest concern is that the mother hen has started trying to pull off the legs on this chick. It's fine when its under her but the moment mother hen sees those legs, she starts after them. Should I remove the chick from the group? If I do, am I going to be able to put it back if it gets healthy? Will the mother accept it back if I bring it in the house for a couple of days?

Any advice with this is much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

Isolate chick from hen. Something is wrong and hen does not recognize it as hers. Typically I dispatch owing to low potential of such chicks but you can invest effort salvaging by keeping chick in a brooder.

 

[renay]

So here she is. I separated her and I'll deal with putting her back into the flock when the time comes!
Any suggestions about her feet?
My apologies for the blurry picture - I'll try to get a better one.

 

[centrarchid]

Interesting that condition is symetrical. May indicate a genetic basis. Antibiotic laced water and very dry and clean bedding are in order to prevent balance of toes from being involved. Other toes look swollen as well so also in trouble. I have never seen such.