HELP...4 week old polish chick not walking for about 3 or 4 days

[Cschicks]

Can you help me with this chick? All we're droopy and lethargic about a week ago as weather warmed up and I realized with feathers coming in they were too hot so raised my heat lamps up to adjust the temp down some more. Added Electrolytes to water and they recovered except for this one. I can't tell if it's injured or weak. Been giving scrambled eggs in morning and helping it get to food and water even holding her up so she could eat and drink regularly. Gave a little honey water last 2 days she seems to want to be more active and scoots/flops around but not walking. Sometimes legs go out to side she doesn't seem to be able to control the legs very well. She will eat and drink regularly and poop looks fine. She cries when the others go to play on other side. Yesterday she got to other side but then cried when they all went back to eat so I helped her back and eat and drink. I feed them Purina starter/grow crumbles, use the Sav a chick Electrolytes and vitamins.

Here is a video..

 

[Cschicks]

It uploades video but then it disappears...I found resources to get it on different way

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

First, as tempting as it is, they shouldn't really be getting anything but their feed for about a month. Many vets and sites will say 6 weeks, but hey, even with silkies here that are more prone to vitamin deficiencies, I have to splurge early too. Scrambled eggs is however, very safe. For a "treat" that winds up spoiling them, I use a plastic peanut butter lid, fill it with crumbles, then soak them. Set that down and it's like a mob!

It's a bit hard for me to tell from the video but your description makes it sound like it's got splayed legs. Catching that early is the best thing and shouldn't take more than a few days to heal it up. We use vetwrap to make "bindings" for the legs to keep them even as they should be. Some use a bandaid. Here's an article about it and the first picture of how theirs looks. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/splay-leg-and-spraddle-leg-treatment.78240/

I put that on them for overnight, then in the morning take it off for an hour or two so they don't lose their muscles they've built up. Then put it back on for most of the day, then off for a bit before night, and then leave it on all night again. Sometimes it's fixed in just two days, sometimes three or four.

I would also give 1/4 of a B-Complex if you have some. If you don't, and want to buy some, I'd get the liquid as it's easier to work with. 1/4 dropper per day. If you have any Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench, that'd be good to give them all every other day for a week or so.

Hopefully this does the trick! Let us know!

 

[Eggcessive]

I think the legs may be splayed as well. Putting a hobble on them for about 3 days is usually helpful, and change it daily. The human B complex or a chick vitamin with riboflavin is also a good suggestion.

 

[Cschicks]

I think the legs may be splayed as well. Putting a hobble on them for about 3 days is usually helpful, and change it daily. The human B complex or a chick vitamin with riboflavin is also a good suggestion.

Thank you I will try that

 

[Cschicks]

Hi,

First, as tempting as it is, they shouldn't really be getting anything but their feed for about a month. Many vets and sites will say 6 weeks, but hey, even with silkies here that are more prone to vitamin deficiencies, I have to splurge early too. Scrambled eggs is however, very safe. For a "treat" that winds up spoiling them, I use a plastic peanut butter lid, fill it with crumbles, then soak them. Set that down and it's like a mob!

It's a bit hard for me to tell from the video but your description makes it sound like it's got splayed legs. Catching that early is the best thing and shouldn't take more than a few days to heal it up. We use vetwrap to make "bindings" for the legs to keep them even as they should be. Some use a bandaid. Here's an article about it and the first picture of how theirs looks. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/splay-leg-and-spraddle-leg-treatment.78240/

I put that on them for overnight, then in the morning take it off for an hour or two so they don't lose their muscles they've built up. Then put it back on for most of the day, then off for a bit before night, and then leave it on all night again. Sometimes it's fixed in just two days, sometimes three or four.

I would also give 1/4 of a B-Complex if you have some. If you don't, and want to buy some, I'd get the liquid as it's easier to work with. 1/4 dropper per day. If you have any Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench, that'd be good to give them all every other day for a week or so.

Hopefully this does the trick! Let us know!

Thank you I will try that

 

[Eggcessive]

Keep the chick on a non-slip surface. This has a good diagram on splay leg treatment.
https://poultrydvm.com/condition/splayed-leg

 

[Cschicks]

My lil chick is gaining strength and standing some on her own. She gets to food and water and started preening her feathers again. I put on hobble, have her stand in a wine glass couple times a day for 15 mins and got her the nutridrench and gabe her some direct on beak. Will continue until she is all better. Thank you all for the help! This is a wonderful site with such helpful folks. I hope to one day be able to help others as well!

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update. Are you leaving the hobble on for 24 hours a day? That is what should be done, and it takes about 3 days when you can take it off.