Two chicks hatched with problems

[LilyD]

Hi all I am back for advice. I hatched out 22 chicks yesterday one hatched out with a hock joint that is immobile. It acts like it is frozen in place and can't move it. Any suggestions?

I also had a second chick hatch with a deformed neck. It actually looks like the bones in the neck are malformed. It carries it's head to the side and if you feel the neck it has a C shape to the right. It is acting healthy and walks fine and is eating and drinking but is a little off balance. Any suggestions?

They were hatched in a hovabator 1588 temp and humidity were good throughout the incubation and hatching.

Parents were feed a breeder feed for chick health and only eggs that were full size and looked healthy were added to the incubator.

All of the 19 other chicks are happy and healthy but I have never had either of these deformities before so I need some advice from others who might have.

Thanks,
Lily

 

[chickenzoo]

If you hatch enough chicks, you are bound to end up with some odd balls. If certain chickens seem to be throwing deformities in their chicks, then I would no longer breed those... But every once in awhile you get something odd is kind of common. You can give both chicks some vitamin E gel cap dripped in the beak... Just one drop twice a day for a week could help with joint mobility. I always use it with injured chickens. Keep moving the joint of the stiff hocked chick... Kind of like physical theropy. It may loosen after vitamin E and movement. I would also massage the neck of the crooked chick. It might help straighten it out better. They may always be sorta of odd balls, but I've had many live a almost normal life. As long as they have the will to live and are not in pain.

 

[CMV]

A chick that hatches with a crooked spine is likely to have it throughout its life with no improvement. In fact, the curvature will likely get worse over time. This is a congenital issue/hatch defect that has no cure. The best you can hope for is that the curvature (technically called scoliosis) is not severe from the onset, is not located where it may endanger other organs, and is not going to impede any nervous system functions. Success in dealing with this issue involves a lot of luck...over which, you have no control. You will have to wait and see in this particular chick. A lot of chicks go on to live long and productive lives with this particular issue. They look slightly odd, but can lead perfectly normal lives.

The frozen joint...not my area of expertise really... Sorry.

I hope they both make it. Good luck with them.

 

[LilyD]

If you hatch enough chicks, you are bound to end up with some odd balls. If certain chickens seem to be throwing deformities in their chicks, then I would no longer breed those... But every once in awhile you get something odd is kind of common. You can give both chicks some vitamin E gel cap dripped in the beak... Just one drop twice a day for a week could help with joint mobility. I always use it with injured chickens. Keep moving the joint of the stiff hocked chick... Kind of like physical theropy. It may loosen after vitamin E and movement. I would also massage the neck of the crooked chick. It might help straighten it out better. They may always be sorta of odd balls, but I've had many live a almost normal life. As long as they have the will to live and are not in pain.

So far this spring I have done two batches this is the second the first hatched 20 chicks all healthy with no issues or abnormalities except one chick with white feathers and spraddle legs. She is perfectly healthy now but pipped first and didn't hatch until the last day so I think the spraddle might have been from hatching trauma.

I am going to get liquid vitamins tomorrow for both chicks. I try to move the joint on the chick with the bad leg but that seems to cause it pain. She seems fine when I am not playing with it but can only hop on one leg since the other doesn't unbend. The chick with the crooked neck eats fine and drinks fine but is a little off balance all the time (more so than the other chicks). It definitely feels like bone not muscle and I can feel the spine curving in her neck. It doesn't seem painful for her when I straighten it but left on her own she carries it off to the right and her neck bulges out to the left. I will keep massaging both and see what happens at least then I can say that I have given them a chance. I am a little worried that the chick with the crooked neck won't be able to eat well because the crook will affect her crop. Only time will tell though. All the others are healthy and no other issues in the group.

Have you had luck with using the vitamins to chicks with these types of injuries?

 

[chickenzoo]

It as helped many that developed problems after hatching, it helped at least a little on those that were born with it. I use Vitamin E with those that develope wry neck, spinal injurys etc... With good improvements. I look at it as, it's cheap and worth a try. I've had chickens that got hurt so badly they could no longer walk, and after giving vitamin E treatments I was able to get them back up and walking..... Hope it helps them, even if only a little.

 

[Allicoop]

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[Allicoop]

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[Allicoop]

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