Silkie Chick flailing Oddly, UPDATE-VIDEO 2 improvement?

[Shalom Farm]

I set about 14 silkie eggs and so far 4 beautiful chicks have hatched. First one was your typical uneventful hatch! Woo! So was the second!

B15 and PNT16 however...

PNT hatched out wonderfully but once dried up I noticed both feet have severe curling. He is a BIG chick in a little egg. He hatched fast with no yolk left and is very vibrant. I booted his feet but even before that he was flailing about as if he couldn't get his legs under him. I know he /can/ do it as when I set him up he walks about for a bit but when he gets off balance he reverts back to his flailing and 'land swimming' as I call it. PNT has access to electrolytes and Fermented chick starter. Brooder is at 95. His incubation was uneventful, I used "Dry incubation" this time around. I have seen others with this issue, and it seems to have cleared up over time/ Chick getting stronger?

B15 is different. He was the first to pip. He got stuck in an odd pose, so he needed a touch of help to allow him to break the rest of the shell. He got Cold during this and I needed to heat him up. He also had a bit of red sticking out of his vent from when he hatched, what is it? and should I be worried about it? Or will it draw in/fall off?

 

[Eggcessive]

I have just a little incubation experience, but just wanted to suggest chicks vitamins, a non-slick surface, and perhaps a little cup device like this one that artysrobin designed for her chicks, for PNT:

 

[Shalom Farm]

Good idea! Is there a place where I can see how to design one? Is the one in Storey's Guide of similar design? I can grab materials for one tomorrow. PNT, other than his issues, is such a lovely chick and one of the only of that line that may hatch from this batch, so I desperately need him/her to grow up and be balanced well for breeding.

 

[Eggcessive]

That was from post # 10 by artsyrobin in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/837454/please-help-hatchling-cant-stand

 

[Shalom Farm]

Thank you!

 

[Shalom Farm]

http://s567.photobucket.com/user/ManfredManips/media/MOV00904_zpsa1ddba0e.mp4.html

Link to video above.

He flails about with or without the boot.

For B15, I think he might have a slight prolapse? I still am unsure. I put PreperationH on his vent and what is sticking from it. I am unsure if he has had a bowel movement or not.

 

[Eggcessive]

They can have a prolapsed vent, but they can also have the umbilicus still attached that is in front of the vent--which do you think it is? An umbilicus will dry up and fall off. a prolapsed vent may or may not get better. Here is a good site for foot and leg problems--be sure that PNT doesn't have a slipped achilles tendon or splay leg: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Shalom Farm]

They can have a prolapsed vent, but they can also have the umbilicus still attached that is in front of the vent--which do you think it is? An umbilicus will dry up and fall off. a prolapsed vent may or may not get better. Here is a good site for foot and leg problems--be sure that PNT doesn't have a slipped achilles tendon or splay leg: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

It was the umbilicus, it just seemed so LARGE. I finally found his tiny vent. I thought it would be a bit further up his belly, but nope! Cleaned it off and put some plain antibiotic ointment for safe measure. B16 has been a lively and active chick since fluffing.

PNT seems to have improved after a good dose of Poly-vi-sol, but is by no means "better". PNT does match some signs of Riboflavin deficiency.

PNT doesn't show the signs of a swelling, he can kick his leg and flex it, I can't feel a tendon popping in or out of place. He just seems to not want to use his legs and be very weak on the legs.

I thought Splay, but he doesn't look "classic" splay/ Spraddle legged in that he does a split, his legs seem wide but not too far apart. Still, he shows some signs so I will treat him.

His improvement was that he ran a few steps to the food bowl, which is his favorite place to pass out for a nap. I haven't seen him walk/run normal except for that one time, so I'm not going to get overly excited about it. PNT doesn't chirp or call out in pain. He's quiet except for his land swimming fits, which he doesn't chirp for.

I have no experience with slipped tendon or splay, so maybe I am not seeing or feeling something?

 

[Shalom Farm]

Here is a video, PNT appears to be walking now, not flailing. I am going to let him rest for tonight and see if he continues to walk in the morning without flailing during the night. If he flails, I'll try the Spraddle leg treatment.

http://s567.photobucket.com/user/ManfredManips/media/MOV00906_zpsccae0b06.mp4.html

 

[Shalom Farm]

PNT is still walking without flailing. So I am going to forgo the cast for now? If from the videos it definitely seems like a slipped tendon or splay or something else let me know.


Now each of them is getting:

Water with just a touch of electrolytes and about 5 small drops of Polivisol, dry chick starter 24% protein (they turn their nose/beaks at the fermented or even ACV sprinkled).

The weakest ones like PNT and B15 are getting 2 small drops 2 times a day of Ployvisol. PNT16 is getting water by eyedropper 3-5 times a day, 1-2 times with electrolytes and the rest plain water.

B15 is very perky and so are the others with the vitamin boost. In a couple of days I plan on stopping the vitamins in the water.