Silkie chick not walking and weak for the past 5 days

[Chickeria]

Please keep us posted how she is doing - best wishes for your little one

 

[Chickeria]

Thank you so much. She seems to very very slowly be doing better. She still cant stand on her legs but I fell her pushing a bit with them. She is really tiny compared to her sibling chicks granted they are not silkies but I am hoping she will grow a bit faster. I am worried about when the time comes to integrate her back to the group (fingers crossed) that it will be problematic.

She wont drink which worries me that she is not getting enough liquids. I make sure to add a lot of liquid to her mash but does anyone know if that is enough?

I'm sorry I don't know if the liquids in very wet mash are sufficient. Is her poop normal? Or seems it to be kind of 'dry'?
I fully understand that you are worried about her reintegration, especially because she is so small and the other babies are different breeds. But perhaps with a very slow introduction and approach everything will work out without problems

 

[Chickeria]

Hi anag how is your little girl doing?

 

[Chickeria]

Still alive thank goodness but no luck with the walking. I'm having to offer feed and water to her every hour. She has a little chick sling she stays in a few times a day for a half an hour or so. I am doing little exercises with her and the physical therapy you described above a few times a day and she does move her legs but still is not strong enough to hold herself. I cant really tell if she's gaining strength. I dont really know if I'm doing too little or too much physical therapy. She seems really frustrated but she does seem to like being held by me. I am actually typing this response with one hand because she is sitting in my other hand . She cant sit on her own btw. She is still in the same room with her fellow chicks so I feel like she has company but they are getting really big really fast. I'm a bit at a loss - I think there's going to be a point where I'm going to have to start thinking about quality of life for her. Its so sad. Thanks for asking.

That's so heartwarming that she likes being held by you and actually is sitting in your hand
I think it is great how you are taking care of her (offering food and water every hour, letting her use a sling regularly, doing exercises and physical therapy a few times a day) and there is nothing which could be done better - you are doing a great job

I think it is still a bit too early for considerable improvements of being able to stand and walk (and carry her own weight) - the neuronal connections necessary for change still have to be build at this point.
If she 'basically' has the ability to walk/carry her weight it will show some time later, and it can show kind of sudden.
You write she is frustrated - is she frustrated of having to do the exercises or is she frustrated because she wants to come forward and not being able to at this point? Second would be a good sign.
What worries me is that she is not able to sit by her own. What happens then - does she fall on her side and can't get up anymore? Or is she instable because she has difficulties to keep her legs in a way to make her sit upright?
Does she see the other chicks walking and playing?

You love her so you only will make the right decision - no matter in which direction

 

[Chickeria]

If she is frustrated because she wants to move by her own I think this would be kind of a strong motivation. Perhaps watching the others walk could be a motivation, too.
Does she mind when you touch or move her legs in the meanwhile?

 

[Chickeria]

Did she ever try to grip something with her feet? If you would hold a branch under her feet or one foot, would she try to hold on it?

 

[Chickeria]

...It is so difficult to get a clue if at this point she doesn't know how to use her (biologically functional) legs or if she can't use them because of some physiological reason.

 

[Chickeria]

I just wanted to let everybody know I got an appointment with an avian vet tomorrow morning. I am so relieved.

That's awesome news!
Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning

 

[Chickeria]

Hi anag how was the vet appointment?

 

[Chickeria]

I just wanted to let everybody know I got an appointment with an avian vet tomorrow morning. I am so relieved.

Hi anag how was the vet appointment?