Let's be honest: if you've ever raised chicks, you've met *this* one. The runt. The one who arrives three weeks old but looks like she's still figuring out how to be a bird. The one who gets stepped on, shoved away from the feeder, and forces you to play chicken-herder at 6 a.m. with a plastic tote and a guilty conscience. /u/dadbodsupreme, you're not alone. You're in the club.
We love that you noticed the limp and the slow growth early. That alone puts you ahead of the curve. Too many of us (guilty) hope a little featherball will just "catch up" on her own. She rarely does. The fact that you separated her with a buddy, smart move, shows you're thinking like a caretaker, not just a collector. The wobbly gait your wife remembers? That's the clue that makes us lean away from a simple injury and toward something nutritional or developmental. A splint won't fix what's been off since day one.
Here's what we'd tell you over a cup of coffee (or a stiff drink, depending on the morning). First, check her for slipped tendon, common in fast-growing breeds, though with that mixed parentage, who knows what she's got in her. Second, consider a vitamin boost. A little poultry Nutri-Drench or even a dab of egg yolk can work wonders on a chick that's been bullied away from feed. Third, give her another week. If she's eating, drinking, and not getting worse, she might just be a slow bloomer. If the limp worsens or she stops using the leg, then you're looking at a cull decision. Hard, but honest.
What this means for the rest of us: every flock has a runt, and every runt teaches you something. The practical takeaway is to separate early, supplement generously, and trust your gut, especially when your wife says she's always wobbled. You're doing the work. Keep that little feathered friend in her own container, watch her eat, and don't be afraid to ask the vet (or the internet) for a second look. She might not grow into a showstopper, but she might grow into a scrappy survivor. And honestly? Those are the best stories.