Unwell Chick

[Lime]

Hello! First time chick raising mom here. I picked up some chicks to go with my incubated ones as a good amount were duds. One little guy came with horrible pasty bottom (it took a very long time to clean it) and it appears to be spaddle legged. It also will not stop screaming as we call it. We have cleaned it up, and try hobbling it's legs but it keeps pecking the hobble off, still can't seem to get it's legs orientated. In general it just looks rough compared to the others and not nearly as active. I've tried offering it feed and drops of water from my finger but I'm at a loss.

 

[Tom Kathleen]

I cut a tiny bit of vetwrap to use for splay leg. You can loop it around each leg, then pinch it in the middle because it's self sticking. If you need to tighten it, you can just pull it together and pinch. It's much easier than a band and I've found chicks are less likely to get it off. Someone told me years ago that they give every single new hatch or newly purchased chick as much nutridrench as they will take the minute they get them. Usually I can get 3-4 drops in them by putting it on the end of their beak. I've had much heartier chicks since we started doing that the minute they are brought home, or the minute they are dry and taken from the incubator. It's not a proven method, but that nutridrench has really helped. Last thing, if it looks like it's failing to thrive, egg yolk mixed with honey on the dropper has saved a few of our chicks. The honey seems to give them a burst of energy (honey is the last resort that rescuers use on wild birds and animals when they're not sure what's wrong and have nothing to lose) to try to survive and they egg yolk is quick nutrition. Good luck!

 

[Lime]

I cut a tiny bit of vetwrap to use for splay leg. You can loop it around each leg, then pinch it in the middle because it's self sticking. If you need to tighten it, you can just pull it together and pinch. It's much easier than a band and I've found chicks are less likely to get it off. Someone told me years ago that they give every single new hatch or newly purchased chick as much nutridrench as they will take the minute they get them. Usually I can get 3-4 drops in them by putting it on the end of their beak. I've had much heartier chicks since we started doing that the minute they are brought home, or the minute they are dry and taken from the incubator. It's not a proven method, but that nutridrench has really helped. Last thing, if it looks like it's failing to thrive, egg yolk mixed with honey on the dropper has saved a few of our chicks. The honey seems to give them a burst of energy (honey is the last resort that rescuers use on wild birds and animals when they're not sure what's wrong and have nothing to lose) to try to survive and they egg yolk is quick nutrition. Good luck!

Thank you so much. We separated him this morning so no one's running the little guy over and that has at least stilled the distress peeps. He is standing better on one leg than he was yesterday but his other is still way out there and he seems reluctant to use his foot (the toes just act like they're limp, so I'm going to have to figure out a shoe too, I think). I'll see if I can find the nutridrench you mentioned. He's fighting this far so I'm gonna help the little one fight!