Baby chick with hurt foot (Please help!)

[Animalfreak382]

So, a couple weeks ago one of my hens went broody. We ended up buying her six silkie chicks (one day old) to raise. She took to them nicely, like they were her own! Unfortunately two did pass due to unknown reasons. Now in present day, the chicks are about one week old! They were in a pretty small coop, so I decided to buy them a new one that is pretty big. I was getting ready to move them into the new coop, when my little sister grabbed the mom and lifted her up. One of the chicks feel out from under her. All seemed fine until the chick started limping on that leg. I doesn't seem to major, she can still stand but on her toes (For the one leg. I really don't wanna see another chick die, especially when this lil' chick is perfectly healthy! Do I keep her with mom? Do I just bring her inside? Please reply ASAP.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

I would bring chick inside if she is having mobility problems to prevent further injury. It gives you a chance to observe how bad the injury is and if you need further action. It could be 24 hours will see the chick recover and allow it to go back out with the rest. Best Wishes.

 

[chickens really]

Leave the Chick with the Hen and only intervene if needed.....Chicks are tough and I'm sure it will be fine. Keep an eye on it for the next couple of days...


Cheers!

 

[Animalfreak382]

Well, its been about a day. I decided to leave the chick with the hen, I don't have the proper materials to keep her inside. She seems to be holding her leg out more, but still gets in and out of the nest and works her way under mom. I'm sure its not comfortable for her, I'll keep you guys updated! I just feel so guilty because she was a perfectly healthy chick before this happened.

 

[chickens really]

All you can do is keep an eye on it....I think it should be okay in a couple of days? As long as it eats and drinks still?

Yep keep posting on how it heals....

Best of luck......Nothing better than being with its Mother....


Cheers!

 

[azygous]

It sounds as if this chick is developing a condition called "spraddle leg". It's not uncommon, and it's pretty easily fixed. The Chicken Chick has step by step instructions how to deal with it. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

It could be spraddle leg.

I love watching a mama raise babies, but not all of them are good moms. I usually take the chicks away and put them under a lamp. Som,etimes I leave her one if she hatched the (that seems fair after all that work!).

Watch that your mama is attemtive and not squashing the chicks. Make sure she doesn't become disinterested which can happen when setting chicks under a broody hen before she has sat for at least a week or so. It's like they didn't hget quite activated...

It could be mareks. That is not a good possibility. If the leg gets worse and they both stop working then you should remove teh chick in the interest of the other chicks.

For now, try the spraddle fix if the legs start spreading too much.

 

[chickens really]

I think some people are confused???
The chick was dropped and it is not spraddle leg that is the issue.....


Cheers!

 

[Animalfreak382]

Another update: Last night I went out to check on her, and it seems that her leg is fine, but she hurt her foot. She just hops around, keeping her foot off the ground. Today, I went out there again, and her foot is completely crippled, and she won't even put her leg down. I made the decision to bring her inside. She's in one of my little homemade brooders, I just don't know what could of happened to her, I didn't think it would get this bad. I asked one of my friends about it and he said that it might be better to just "put her to sleep". I really don't want to, but if its only going to get worse, and make her suffer, I would so she doesn't have to go through the pain.

 

[chickens really]

Another update: Last night I went out to check on her, and it seems that her leg is fine, but she hurt her foot. She just hops around, keeping her foot off the ground. Today, I went out there again, and her foot is completely crippled, and she won't even put her leg down. I made the decision to bring her inside. She's in one of my little homemade brooders, I just don't know what could of happened to her, I didn't think it would get this bad. I asked one of my friends about it and he said that it might be better to just "put her to sleep". I really don't want to, but if its only going to get worse, and make her suffer, I would so she doesn't have to go through the pain. 

Possibly she broke her toes?
You can make a little splint out of cut piece of plastic that her foot sits on and use a pipe cleaner as the the stable part up her leg and use surgical tap to hold it all together so her little foot heals.....


Hope that makes sense to you?


Cheers!