Baby Chick Born Without a Neck Looks Just Like a Little 'Meatball on Legs'
As the proud mom of my own Meatball (my giant Maine Coon, not an actual meatball... although the resemblance is sometimes questionable), I was already emotionally invested the second I learned this tiny baby chick -- who was born without a neck -- is also named Meatball. There was simply no chance I wasn't going to fall completely in love with him.
Then I saw his sweet little face.
Friends... he really does look like a meatball on legs.
A very tiny, very determined, very precious meatball who deserves unlimited snacks and absolutely zero criticism.
@lilly_colton i know i keep saying he but it's a she don't roast me its habit #chickens#disability#nonecked#funny
original sound - lilly colton
The heartwarming video was shared by @Lilly_colton, who recently brought home 15 baby chicks but quickly noticed one little guy looked different from the rest.
She explains that for days, she couldn't quite figure out what seemed off.
He struggled to walk, spreading his tiny wings to help balance himself before tumbling over.
He was also much smaller than his siblings.
Then it hit her.
"He looks like a meatball on legs... he doesn't have a neck."
When she gently holds him up to the camera, it's easy to see what she means. Compared to the other chicks, little Meatball appears to have almost no visible neck at all.
Instead of making fun of him, though, his chicken mom is simply trying to understand how to help him.
Viewers Offered Support for Meatball
• "Wry neck!!!! His muscles are very contracted. It can be a vitamin B deficiency, a dip in temperature in the incubator or genetic."
• "He might have a condition called wry neck and need to have some vitamin supplementation. Never hurts to just supplement and try."
• "He looks fine to me, stop judging him."
• "I love Meatball."
• "There's nothing wrong with him. He's perfect in my eyes. And he brings me joy."
• "I have one like this that I also raised from a chick. Her name is Esmeralda and she's doing great two years later."
I absolutely lost it at the comment saying, "He looks fine to me, stop judging him."
Exactly.
Leave my tiny spherical son alone.
He's out here doing his best.
If you think your own chick may have wry neck or another medical condition, it's important to contact a veterinarian or an experienced poultry veterinarian for guidance. Wry neck can have several possible causes, including nutritional deficiencies or congenital issues, and getting professional advice early gives your chick the best chance of receiving care.
Meanwhile, I'll be over here rooting for little Meatball.
Because every Meatball deserves a happy ending.
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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 11:30 AM.