Today I was at the Tractor Supply Co. and they had bins full of cute little fluffy chicks. I ended up taking one home because he was going to die if I didn't. He seems to have a leg that won't work. The guy at the store insisted that he will learn how to use it, but he won't be able to function as well as other chickens. The other chicks in the bin were pecking at him and he was a lot smaller than the other ones, so I couldn't leave him there. I already have older chickens, and I know how to take care of chickens. I just don't know how to take care of a chick that can't walk on his own. I put the chick starter right next to him so he can get it easily, and put his water in a shallow container so he can reach it. He can move, it just isn't quite a walk. The guy at the store said that it is a common problem when they are mass bred, and they try to weed out the chicks that are deformed. Is there a disease that this chick possibly has that would cause him to not be able to use his leg properly? He can bend both of his legs just fine, he just can't stand up completely and he can't move his leg properly. I feel really bad and I really want to help him, I just don't know what to do.

i dont know of any diseases but i think just taking him home and giving him a safe enviro w/ food and water in reach is the best you can do for him - good luck! Did you name the chick?

He will learn to use it if it's not diseased; if it's diseased, there's little you can do, as it's an internal thing that probably can't be "fixed" in one so small.

If it's weak/malformed he'll learn to get by and eventually get around as well as the other chickens - keep him warm, dry, fed and watered and loved - of course - and thats pretty much all you can do.
He may always be "picked on" thats the whole "pecking order" thing that chickens do to the younger, weaker birds so keep an eye on him even when he appears strong enough to join the others.

No, I haven't named him yet. I'm waiting to find out if the chick is actually a he or a she. I already have one rooster, and I heard that you can't put two roosters together, so I am hoping it is another female. All of my other chickens have names from animes, so this one probably will too. I have Hotohori, Nuriko, Kikyo, Momijii, and Miaka. My fiancee named one of his chickens Wookie, I'm not sure about the rest.
The chick is doing fine. He seems to be kind of scooting around using his good leg lol.

Despite my best efforts, the little chick passed away this morning. I woke up and found him. I had been hand feeding him and it was getting harder to get him to drink and eat. He would take the water, tilt his head back, and it would run out of his mouth. He also kept spitting his food back out after picking it up. He would sit up, and then peep a few times and his little head would droop down and he would close his eyes. He gave up trying to move around. I really tried my best but it wasn't good enough, I feel really bad. I wish there was something more I could have done for him.

:hug: Hey fruitariangirl, i am so sorry!
You are a great girl for taking care of those chicks, and giving them the respect that they (so rarely get) so very much deserve.

I'm sorry your chick died... :hug: But I'm glad that his last few days were filled with caring attention.