24 hour old chick with legs and feet issue.

[Beckys Birds]

Hello.
I had a chick hatch 24 hours ago who was the last to hatch. This was my first attempt at using an incubator. I think the humidity may have been too high by the time she piped and hatched, as 6 others hatched before her. She is a large fowl cochin.
At fist it seemed like she just didn't have her sea legs yet, even after she was dry. I put them all on the brooder with a brooder plate. She was flopping around like a seal, kind of using her legs and feet to scoot around. She was flipping on her back a lot and getting pushed out from under the plate. After about 10 hours of this I realized she had splayed legs, so I used vet wrap and splinted her legs. That doesn't seem to do anything for her. I noticed today that she has curled toes on one foot, so I did the splint on that foot, too.
The problem seems to be that she doesn't have any balance. She falls right on her face then rolls to her back if you stand her up.
What do I do?? I've made her drink some water with vitamins as well.
Cab someone please help me? She is miserable all taped up.
Thank you in advance!

 

[newchickmomma3-2025]

I had a chick hatch yesterday that was doing the scoot walk and all that, but it wasn't falling over. It was recommened bu @Eggcessive I believe to use poultry cell. Alternatively if no poultry cell, to get the "super b complex" human vitamins from walmart, crush half of one tablet in a tsp of water and give a few drops a day. It seems to have already helped my chick some. What type/amount of vitamins did you give the chick?

 

[Beckys Birds]

I had a chick hatch yesterday that was doing the scoot walk and all that, but it wasn't falling over. It was recommened bu @Eggcessive I believe to use poultry cell. Alternatively if no poultry cell, to get the "super b complex" human vitamins from walmart, crush half of one tablet in a tsp of water and give a few drops a day. It seems to have already helped my chick some. What type/amount of vitamins did you give the chick?

I use this.

 

[Beckys Birds]

Ok, so I got the B complex and have been administering it every couple of hours for the last 12+ hours. I don't think she's eating yet, and refuses food when I put it in front of her. I think she is more deformed than just splayed legs and curled toes. I'm pretty sure she has half a leg that doesn't work at all. I've put splints on both feet and that seems to help her move around a bit more. Has anyone dealt with this issue before?? I have no idea how to help this chick. She either is peeping extremely loud or sleeping, and it doesn't matter if she is in her foot wraps or not. Can someone please help me? There are no vets that will see birds anywhere near me and I hate knowing she is suffering. Here is a video of her. I hope the link works.

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[Gezellige_Poes]

Ok, so I got the B complex and have been administering it every couple of hours for the last 12+ hours. I don't think she's eating yet, and refuses food when I put it in front of her. I think she is more deformed than just splayed legs and curled toes. I'm pretty sure she has half a leg that doesn't work at all. I've put splints on both feet and that seems to help her move around a bit more. Has anyone dealt with this issue before?? I have no idea how to help this chick. She either is peeping extremely loud or sleeping, and it doesn't matter if she is in her foot wraps or not. Can someone please help me? There are no vets that will see birds anywhere near me and I hate knowing she is suffering. Here is a video of her. I hope the link works.

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Awww, what an adorable little peep, and quite an amazing little bootie you fashioned! When she rolled over and steadied herself, there was this Ah-ha, she's got it now, before tipping over again. She may just straighten out with a little time, just be sure she is not on any slick surface. Maybe she was in an odd position in the egg and her feet/legs are a bit asleep...

 

[chickengr]

I keep such chicks in incubator for 2-3 days after hatching. they usually recover. in my case their belly is too big and round so they cannot walk properly. as soon as they absorb yolk completely they start walking.

 

[Beckys Birds]

Awww, what an adorable little peep, and quite an amazing little bootie you fashioned! When she rolled over and steadied herself, there was this Ah-ha, she's got it now, before tipping over again. She may just straighten out with a little time, just be sure she is not on any slick surface. Maybe she was in an odd position in the egg and her feet/legs are a bit asleep...

Thank you! I got the idea for the boots from a YouTube video for curled toes splints. I used vet wrap instead of duct tape. I can't imagine taking duct tape off a chick's foot, not to mention this one and her feathered legs and feet. I've been told I wrapped too tight on FB, but her feet are not cold or discolored when I remove the boots, which I do each morning for a bit.
The bedding in the brooder was puppy pads but now is a deep layer of hemp, so nice and soft and not slick. I've raised probably close to 100 chicks, this is just my first time hatching in an incubator.

 

[Beckys Birds]

I keep such chicks in incubator for 2-3 days after hatching. they usually recover. in my case their belly is too big and round so they cannot walk properly. as soon as they absorb yolk completely they start walking.

I took the chicks out 24 hours after hatching. All the yolks were absorbed and they were dry. They all appeared to be walking around. It was hard to tell that Seal was flopping, with all the empty shells and 6 other chicks, I didn't notice Seals issue until I grabbed her and put her in the brooder. That's when I asked the original question. The splayed leg is mostly fixed, it's the rest of the legs that's the problem.

 

[Beckys Birds]

Her is a video of Seal without the booties. You can see how her legs and feet are.

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[Gezellige_Poes]

Thank you! I got the idea for the boots from a YouTube video for curled toes splints. I used vet wrap instead of duct tape. I can't imagine taking duct tape off a chick's foot, not to mention this one and her feathered legs and feet. I've been told I wrapped too tight on FB, but her feet are not cold or discolored when I remove the boots, which I do each morning for a bit.
The bedding in the brooder was puppy pads but now is a deep layer of hemp, so nice and soft and not slick. I've raised probably close to 100 chicks, this is just my first time hatching in an incubator.

I agree on the duct tape! Yikes, how would you ever get that off without severely maiming the little feet!