Weak/limp left leg

[Melissann]

Chick is a day 1/2 old and doesn’t want to put weight on her left leg. She can get around but scoots/hobbles. Otherwise she’s alert and happy. Handling her today to examine the leg, she put a little more on it. Tried to get her to stand, she did (in pic) but closed her eyes and was a little shaky I’m assuming due to pain. I don’t think it’s splayed leg (but I’ve not dealt with it before). Any advice? Let her go and hope it gets stronger/heals or is there something I should do to help her? Don’t know if encouraging her to put weight on it is helpful or hurtful. Thanks!

 

[Alaskan]

Since she can stand so nicely I don't think it is a splayed leg, but maybe a sprain.

I would watch it very closely over the next day and see if it continues to slowly improve.

 

[Hen House Hustler]

Chick is a day 1/2 old and doesn’t want to put weight on her left leg. She can get around but scoots/hobbles. Otherwise she’s alert and happy. Handling her today to examine the leg, she put a little more on it. Tried to get her to stand, she did (in pic) but closed her eyes and was a little shaky I’m assuming due to pain. I don’t think it’s splayed leg (but I’ve not dealt with it before). Any advice? Let her go and hope it gets stronger/heals or is there something I should do to help her? Don’t know if encouraging her to put weight on it is helpful or hurtful. Thanks!

My Uncle had a clubfooted chicken once...it couldn't get on the roost very well, and when it did, all the other chickens would peck at it and knock it off. It wasn't a very happy chicken. He came out one morning to find it laying in the sand beneath the roost with it's head and back of the neck pecked clean of feathers. Poor thing had expired sometime during the process.