Baby chick sitting down a LOT

[Hobblesthechick]

Hobbles is now a week and two days. He’s a fair bit behind the other two chicks in size but has definitely plumped up over the last three days since he started walking and accessing food and water independently.

Our worry is today we noticed he’s sitting down a lot. Or at least what feels like a lot. Whereas the other two chicks developmentally appear much further ahead (bigger, a few more feathers, faster, jumping, agile etc) they’re pretty fast, up and about doing chicken things and then they’ll sit and rest for a period of time.

Hobbles is up down up down. He might walk out from the heater to peck some food and drink some water but almost always returns to the heater and plops down (not very gracefully) and sits/sleeps. He’s chirping every so often like the others and doesn’t look sick or lethargic (I don’t think anyway) but should I be concerned that he’s sitting so much?

We treated him for slipped tendon earlier in the week which he’s made a miraculous recovery from. I’ve checked over his legs and they all seem fine and in good shape. Even observed him standing and stretching his tendon leg behind him like the other two chicks do which is remarkable considering 5 days ago that leg was curled under his body and he couldn’t stand or walk on it.

I’m aware he might always be a bit special and might not run as fast as the others or be particularly agile, and we’re happy to love and nurture him no matter how he is….

But is there anything I should be concerned about? His breathing also seems a bit heavy at times but there’s no panting. Eating normal, drinking normal, poop looks normal. Chest looks a bit fluff/puffed up but I’ve read that’s where their crop is and if they’ve eaten a lot it can look puffed up.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would just watch to make sure he's eating/drinking well.
You can offer vitamin support by giving him 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily.

With chicks it's hard to know, he may just be behind if he started out struggling.

 

[Maddcatter]

Hobbles is now a week and two days. He’s a fair bit behind the other two chicks in size but has definitely plumped up over the last three days since he started walking and accessing food and water independently.

Our worry is today we noticed he’s sitting down a lot. Or at least what feels like a lot. Whereas the other two chicks developmentally appear much further ahead (bigger, a few more feathers, faster, jumping, agile etc) they’re pretty fast, up and about doing chicken things and then they’ll sit and rest for a period of time.

Hobbles is up down up down. He might walk out from the heater to peck some food and drink some water but almost always returns to the heater and plops down (not very gracefully) and sits/sleeps. He’s chirping every so often like the others and doesn’t look sick or lethargic (I don’t think anyway) but should I be concerned that he’s sitting so much?

We treated him for slipped tendon earlier in the week which he’s made a miraculous recovery from. I’ve checked over his legs and they all seem fine and in good shape. Even observed him standing and stretching his tendon leg behind him like the other two chicks do which is remarkable considering 5 days ago that leg was curled under his body and he couldn’t stand or walk on it.

I’m aware he might always be a bit special and might not run as fast as the others or be particularly agile, and we’re happy to love and nurture him no matter how he is….

But is there anything I should be concerned about? His breathing also seems a bit heavy at times but there’s no panting. Eating normal, drinking normal, poop looks normal. Chest looks a bit fluff/puffed up but I’ve read that’s where their crop is and if they’ve eaten a lot it can look puffed up.

From what you have described, it sounds like maybe Hobbes is just still recovering/still growing into what he would have been if not for his injury. So long as he's eating/drinking/pooping well, he's probably just catching up. When they're really young like that, it can take a while to get back to where they should be.
...imo.

 

[Hobblesthechick]

I would just watch to make sure he's eating/drinking well.
You can offer vitamin support by giving him 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily.

With chicks it's hard to know, he may just be behind if he started out struggling.

How do I give him part of a tablet? Would I need to dissolve it in water?

I don’t have any to hand but I do have a liquid poultry vitamin that you dilute in water… it says to use 5 days a month so I’ve stopped using it. Could I use that and pipette him some extra water? It has all vitamins (minus iron) including B vitamins x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You're looking to give extra B2(Riboflavin) so if the poultry vitamin has that, then you can use it instead.

For giving a piece of tablet to a chick, I dissolve in a tiny amount of water, then syringe drops of the vitamin water into them.