Solitary chicken - need advice

[SherlockHolmes]

Hi all

 

About 2 weeks ago I purchased 3 pekin bantam chicks which were just under a week old to go under my broody hen. The littlest one had a slight head wound where an adult hen had pecked it but the wound had healed over and the chick seemed to be the brightest of the bunch. Despite her small size she would steal worms that the other chicks had and run off with them before scoffing them down and would also peck the chicks so much I worried about her being a bully!

 

Last Thursday I noticed her limping and assumed she had done something to her foot. I took her out and examined her but found no obvious injuries so I popped her back. The next day she didn't come out so I went to investigate. She couldn't put her foot down and appeared to be in pain.

 

I took her to the local vet who agreed to have a quick look. She heard a pop whilst examing the leg and said she thought the leg had popped back into its socket but agreed that there appeared to be an underlying injury because the leg was still quite floppy and unresponsive. After deliberating for a while I decided to take up the vets offer of painkillers and antibiotics which the chick has been on since.

 

There have been some improvements in that time. The leg is still pink and whereas I could clearly see some bruising before, this appears to have gone. She can stand on that leg but cannot walk on it yet and using her tiny wings for balance, which leads me onto another problem. She is around 3 weeks old now and her siblings are the same. I suspect the other two are cocks but they are 3 times her size and fully feathered. In the time I've had her, she's hardly grown but is developing wing feathers.

 

She is eating and drinking fine. I'm feeding her chick crumbs, a few mealworms and every now and then, some scrambled egg and porridge oats. She seems fine in herself and does try to move - her bigger wings giving her more balance so she can move a little better than last week.

 

The antibiotics finish this weekend and I plan to start giving her some probiotic yoghurt to help build up her immunity again, but I am worried about both this leg and her small size. If I can I'll include a photo - bear in mind she is 3 weeks old when you view it.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

(I can't appear to do attachments I'm afraid. She still has all her down on her and the only feathers she has are tiny full feathers on her wings. I can fit my hand fully over her and she weighs about 25grams.)

[miller30]

Sorry to hear about your little chick but going by what you have described if it was me I would be thinking it would be kinder to let her go sorry probs not what you want to hear leanne

[SherlockHolmes]

I am considering all options Leanne which is why I'm posting for advice really. If she was suffering I would have let her go by now, what is her saving grace so far is her gender and the fact that she has spirit and a zest for life. She is eating very well, she is alert and as I say, there has been a slight improvement in that she can now stand up on both legs at least.

 

I was wondering if anyone had experienced anything similar at all or could give me some clue as to why she might be so small and if it has anything to do with either her small head wound or the gammy leg. If there is anything else I can do then I'll obviously try it over the euthanasia option as I'd like to think that at least I did give her a fair chance.

[Redwing]

I dont suppose you are able to get some additional light where they are? Depending on the size of the broody a rabbit hutch or indoor pen in a shed or garage with a light would be ideal

 

This is not the best time of year for chicks as it is, they need light to grow and be active for a lot of the day. moving around more would also help strengthen the leg too

 

If necessary I would remove all chicks and bring them in to a brooder with an infra red light, those bulbs arent something I am a fan of generally but for recuperating animals and birds they are excellent

 

I appreciate that these suggestions may not be practical for you. Failing everything I would feed a decent chick crumb with a little cod liver oil added to up the calories and fat. Dont feed mealworms or the yogurt they simply arent as valuable a feed stuff as people think just let the chick fill up on the crumb. Also check the date on the crumb as the season is slowing down and some of the bags have been hanging around too long in the feed merchants, out of date crumb is always my number one suspect where there are growth problems though as two of yours are fine I mention it only in passing

 

One other thing worth considering is Mareks but that normally affects chicks a little older, the limping and using wings to balance is a major indicator though

 

I'm sorry to say that 'failure to thrive' chicks are let go here as there is nearly always some underlying problem

[SherlockHolmes]

Thanks Redwing

 

The chick has been separated and is inside the house during the day under a light but at night she is able to go back under the hen with the other two - this arrangement has been working fine for a week now.

The weather is still pleasant enough here and the other two chicks are thriving. They are getting proper feathers and are three times the size of the little hen.

 

I showed her to another hen keeper today who confirmed that the bone does appear to be broken from the elbow at least - chick is able to move it from the thigh.

 

Chick is eating chick crumbs that I soak in a little warm water and she is eating very well. She's alert and chirpy. I get her out a few times a day to encourage her to walk. I am hoping that even though the bone is broken, it may heal enough for her to be able to walk. It's still nice and pink so is obviously still getting a blood supply.

 

I supplement her feed with some scrambled egg and porridge oats.

 

I really can't kill a little one that still has some fight in her, so for now I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens. She may just be a little chick and the other two large cockerels. I don't know but whilst she's not in pain and appears to want to eat, drink and get around then we'll do our best for her. I bought her so I feel a responsibility towards her.

[Redwing]

its worth a try, she is young and lightweight so if the bone is going to mend it has the very best chance

 

Keep an eye on it to make sure the leg is at least growing straight, a friend had a bird with the same problem as you suspect yours has and the bone mended at an angle sadly

 

Vetwrap bandage torn in to little strips may help support it

 

Fingers crossed for the little chick

[SherlockHolmes]

Cheers! She is still fighting bless her although as a friend said today, if I left it up to nature she really wouldn't be here right now so am I doing the right thing in interfering? I guess we just have to see if she can still have a good quality of life with a dodgy leg. Won't know until she's a bit bigger but whilst she's eating and alert and responsive then I reckon she deserves a chance.

[Redwing]

As long as you dont have rose tinted specs and understand that there is a point where continuing isnt fair on the bird then you will be fine

 

No harm in trying but too many people do it for them and not for the bird, birds arent like cats and dogs and treatment and pain makes them so much more stressed

 

You sound like you are doing ok