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Rural Gardening: Injured chick - looking for feedback, 0 by Tammy

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Subject: Injured chick - looking for feedback

Forum: Rural Gardening

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Photo of Injured chick - looking for feedback
Tammy wrote:
I found one of my 3wk old chicks unable to walk about a week ago. It could flap its wings but was clearly hurt. It would lay on its side with its legs out (like you see when they have Mareks disease). I'm pretty sure its an injury and not an infection. The flock has been isolated for years and no signs of disease in other chickens.

So I cleaned it up and found a wound on its back. I put antibiotic cream on the spot a couple days in a row. I think it also injured one of its legs. I put the chick in a box in the tack room of our barn. I read that they should have weight on the legs. I tried paper towel dish (hard to explain - used a small plastic box and a rubber band to hold the towels so bottom didn't touch bottom of the box so it was bowl shaped). Then someone shared a post about using panty hose to make a sling.

Well... its been 6 days. The chick chirps and seems quite happy most of the time. Its eating, drinking and pooping. It gets upset that it can't really move and flaps its wings hard. It can't sit or stand on its legs though. It grips my finger so has control of the toes in both legs. It can stretch them out and pull them back so has control of the legs.

How long do I keep up the nursing? Is this insane and just prolonging the inevitable?

What do you guys think?

Here's some photos