Chick limping...now listless and not eating/drinking

[Jsto]

Well, we've lost her

She went quickly and slowly and I have to comfort myself with the fact that I did all I could. I gave her a happy and safe home for the first days of her life and she had a blast in there. I've buried her in the garden and am on my way out to find the perfect perennial to plant for her. Thank you for all the help, guys. I know if there is ever a problem in the future that no one will hesitate to help me out and I appreciate that.

 

[iopele]

I'm so sorry for you loss! It doesn't sound like you've done anything "wrong"--according to Storey's Guide, spraddle leg tends to happen when you use newspaper or slick paper rather than something textured like paper towels. I wonder if the limping was just the first sign of a deeper problem.

I think it's lovely that you buried her in the garden and are going to put a beautiful plant over her.

 

[Jsto]

Well we've been over it today and she has always been a little less active than the other chicks, but having had no experience with raising chickens and even less experience with banties, I just assumed it was because she was so small. It didn't quite look like she had spraddle leg, but she was quite a bit pigeon-toed. Again, I just assumed it was the breed and those 5 little toes. She was the only bantie next to standard chicks, so perhaps what I thought was normal was actually a bit runty for a bantam. There's a lot I can pick out in hindsight, but I'm thinking perhaps it may have been something that was there from birth.

I picked out a beautiful perennial that I'd actually never heard of (Gayfeather!) because it looked a bit poofy and scraggly feathered like she did. I'll be planting it first thing in the morning.

Spending time with the other chicks has made me feel better, but it's just been hard for me to take. Having pets you always have to learn to deal with these kinds of things, but, for me personally, it never gets any easier.

 

[iopele]

I lost a chick today too--no idea what happened to it or why it died--so I really feel your pain now. I'm keeping an extra-close eye on the rest of my babies just in case any of them start showing signs of distress, especially since I have no idea what caused the chick to die. I'm thinking of you and the rest of your flock!

 

[Jsto]

I'm sorry for your loss as well. It's so strange how these things happen, sometimes coming seemingly out of nowhere, but I guess nature knows what it's doing even though sometimes it's hard to accept. My thoughts are with you and your flock as well!