Chick is about one and a half months old and got mauled by a dog. It has been three days and I have been forcing her to drink but she cannot seem to stand. I cannot tell what is wrong with her legs but one seems to be going bad in color, the other just doesnt seem to respond, could she be paralyzed, how do I tell? Otherwise she is very alert and not in any obvious pain.

-- june szeider (idip4u@earthlink.net), May 03, 2002

Answers

Might try doing a pin prick test to see if the chicken can feel it. Just put a sharp pin against the skin of the area you want to test and see if the chicken trys to move that area away from the pin/pain. If the chicken can feel the pin, then they will try to move away from the pin/pain or make a noise.

If you apply the pin to the bottom of the foot the chicken should withdraw the foot(away from the pin/pain) if the sensory and motor nerves are intact and functioning.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002.