Rescued Pet Store Chicks with dead foot/toes!

[buteo4]

Hello!
Got myself into another situation today. I stopped by the local pet store and found a batch of week old chicks (why, WHY at a pet store?). They were on a pelleted bedding, which was moist and not under any heat source. Upon closer inspection I noted that many of them were hopping around on one leg...then I realized that these chicks had dead/deformed toes feet and legs. Some just a toe or two, others were missing an entire foot! So guess who brought them home (the lady just let me have them) So now I have 10 one-legged chicks! Though I would be surprised if they all survive. I got them home and put them on clean bedding and put antibiotics in their water. They are eating and drinking fine. What do I do now? Are the worth saving? Will a chicken adapt to having only one leg/foot? And what could be the cause of this horrible malady?
I have pictures, but don't know how to post them.

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions
Gina L
Menominee, MI

 

[wsdareme]

and welcome to the world of chicken addiction.

Bless you for trying to save these babies. What a sad situation for them to be in.

Are you familiar with raising chicks? If not, you will get lots of great advice and encouragement from your fellow BYCers.

The antibiotics are great -- make sure you're keeping them warm enough (although that may not be a problem except at night). It will probably be a wait-and-see situation.

Keep us posted and here are some instructions for posting pics (thanks to Nifty-Chicken):

To Post Photos On BYC Forum:

The easiest way to display your coop, chickens, and other fun pictures on BYC is to use the BYC Image Upload Tool . Here are the steps:

1) Click on the "Uploads " link at the very top of every page (in the blue menu bar).
2) Once the "Upload image" page loads, click the "Browse" button and find the jpg or gif picture on your computer and then click the "Submit" button.
3) Your image will be uploaded (and resized if needed) and you will be presented with a thumbnail of your picture along with two image code options:

Thumb - This is the code you use to show a small version of your image that can be clicked to show the full size image.
Image - This is the code you use to show the full size image directly in your post.

4) Copy the image code and paste it into your post.

Good luck!!

 

[Afrochicken]

My chicken has one broken leg and is doing fine hopping on one foot, your lil fuzzybuttz will do fine, and if not you might have to cull them

 

[gmendoza]

you can make chicken wheelchairs if you want to keep them.they will do fine.I sense you are a very caring person.

 

[buteo4]

Thanks for the help. Fortunately I've raised many a chick. I have an assorted flock of about 40 (Ameracaunas, barred and partridge rock, cuckoo marans, buff orpingtons, Polish, BLR Wyandotte, etc). Wasn't looking for any new babies a the moment though, but I just couldn't leave them there, especially not in that condition, and in those conditions!

Warning: Photos are graphic.

 

[dawg53]

Poor chickies...Bless your heart. Their toes and feet dont look good and I think antibiotics is the way to go. Even if a toe or leg drops off, and they're eating and drinking normally, they'll be fine...they are worth saving. I have a crippled hen due to an accident, she hobbles around on one leg and still lays an egg. Dont let any of your other chickens around these chicks...biosecurity. Good luck.

 

[Gerbil]

Wow (Not a good wow)...... Poor little peeps, here's a thumbs up for you for taking them in

 

[gryeyes]

Bless your heart!

*I* wouldn't cull 'em until I was sure the whatever it was was fatal and spreading. If you can arrest its progression, then by all means try to save 'em.

I will reserve my shock and dismay for the IDIOTS who allowed that to happen to those chicks! May Karma get 'em, and get 'em good.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I have read more than once here of someone who had to amputate toes, a foot, or a leg and had the chicken survive happily for years. Its remarkable what they can overcome.
What breed are they? If they are mutts, you could claim that they are a fancy new breed that only has one leg. I would be really amused to see a whole flock of one legged chickens. Not that I am happy about what happened (quite the contrary, believe me!) but since they have been rescued and are now in good hands I am sure they will grow up fine. And I just think it would be funny to see.

 

[peterlund]

I for one would start right quick to get the "pet store" under a lawsuit for cruelty to animals, That is just wrong. It is! These were in the window for sale??? .............just plain wrong.