Please Help

[jot]

I was blessed with 6 new hatchlings last friday, one died but have added a newbie just today. I have them all in in my house in a plastic storage container with a heat lamp and a heating pad in one corner under the container. my son put a stuffed teddy bear in the box and they love to sleep under the bear.
My concern is ; I have a chick who as of this morning can not walk, her little legs go out from under her and she does the splits. she acts okay by eating and drinking. she acts like she wants to play but can't because her legs stay outward.
Any suggestions and/or does anyone know what this might be?

Thanks for your help,
Cindy

 

[DuckLady]

Are they in a bare container with nothing on the bottom?

Your chick has spraddle leg. You need to get bedding down on the bottom of the container. NOT newspaper. Use old towels if you can or even paper toweling. If you have caught it soon enough it will right up on it's own. if not you will need to hobble the legs with a bandaid. Just wrap each end (the sticky part) around each leg firmy but not too tight as to cut circulation. (The pad part of the bandaid will be between the legs) If you can, kind of help the chick walk and get it's footing a bit. You will need to replace the bandaid every couple of days as growth is fast. Gently peel the bandaid off so as not to snap the little leg bone.


Good luck!

 

[ncboman]

I can only offer some guess type tips without seeing.

1. Don't start them on newspaper, cardboard, or any kind of slick surface. Burlap or cuts of old sheets work better and can be reused by rain cleaning and sun disinfecting if desired.

2. Sometimes the toes are curled up and sometimes this can be corrected with splints and electrical tape. Never use duct tape.

3. Some things weren't meant to be. Newcomers and faint of heart often have a difficult time with this but it helps to keep the overall goal in mind, which should be to have a healthy flock, not to have a flock with saved cripples making the good birds look bad.

Little chicks grow fast and if I don't see improvement in a few days, I make more room for the healthy peeps. After rearing a few flocks, judgement should become easier on iffy chicks.

 

[ncboman]

sorry terrie, crossposted with ya.

Good tip with the bandaids. I knew I was leavin sumthin out.