Squatting chick

[shakenbake]

I have 3 week old chicks. All are fine except for one who never seems to want to stand. She is alert and healthy other than this. When I pick her up and set her back down she just kind of lays there, except her legs hold her up a little. I know she can walk because when I tap her legs she takes a few steps and remains standing but she doesn't run from my hand like the other chicks, she walks. Is this something to worry about or should I just let it go and see what happens?

 

[15lparker]

I have the exact same problem!! Only mine are only 1 week and a day old!!! I was wondering the SAME question!!!!!!!

 

[shakenbake]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! It's really bizarre, she was always smaller but I didn't worry about it because the other chicks are nice to her.

 

[shakenbake]

I feel bad for naming her Scrambled....

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Quote:
I like the name Scrambled! When the siblings and I were kids we had a pet pig named Sausage and a dog we called Ultimutt because he was the Ultimate Mutt.

Edited to add: I can't help you with the chick thing as my chicks are still eggs

but hope someone will be along soon!

 

[Smoosh]

I have a chicken like that. He was always bigger than the others. He's about 3/4 months old now. Walks a little more but still likes to sit. We make him walk by holding lettuce in front of his face. He loves lettuce. That really made him get up, sometimes even run. The point in this story is that I don't really know how to help but finding a favorite treat and putting it infront of his face and making her walk.

 

[Pele]

Do you know what breed your chick is? There are a few breeds that prefer sitting over walking. Specifically, Cornish Crosses (meat birds). They're pretty pathetic, just sitting and breathing heavily between gorging on food.

On the other hand, if you don't have a Cornish Cross, you might have a chick with a leg deformity, or hip deformity that prevents walking from being comfortable.

 

[klen]

could they be a little cold? I know mine snuggle down when I turn the heat down.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I have a black australorp that used to act just like your chick. When we first got her as a day old, she would always be laying down. She hardly walked. The only time she'd get up is when she got food or water. She has always been the smallest of the group. She is now 16 weeks old and she appears to be on the bottom of the pecking order. She doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the flock for some reason. In fact, a few days ago all the other chickens started going after her and pecking her. We broke up the fight and they haven't done it since. She also developed crooked toes. We haven't made a boot or anything for her, as I didn't want here to get picked on. She can walk fine on them and they don't seem to bother her.

Good Luck with your chick.

 

[shakenbake]

Thanks everyone, she is a BO and my other BO is fine so I don't think it's a breed thing. I'll just wait it out and hope for the best.