Splay leg bandaid trick

[msusweetiegirl]

I am brand new to chickens and just got 2 day old silkies and 2 3 or 4 day old polish. A friend got some silkies from the same batch as well. All of the white silkies have splay leg. I tried to do the bandaid trick and the little squirm moved and the bandaid stuck to the legs it's not positioned right and I can't figure out how to get it undone and off the legs to replace it with one done correctly. Any advice?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you carefully cut the bandaid between the legs? Nail polish remover (acetone) will remov tape adhesive, but not the best thing to use around chicks because of the strong odor. Tomorrow go to a feed or farm store and get some vet wrap in the horse aisle. It can be cut into strips which can be removed and reapplied to check the legs. In the first aid aisle they also sell a similar coban or self adhesive wrap.

 

[msusweetiegirl]

Thanks! Any other advice on how to care for this baby? I am already just learning how to care for baby chicks that are healthy. I am a slightly panicked mess about this baby. I am already head over heels in love with it. I have named it and gave it a meaningful name.

 

[Eggcessive]

Make sure that you are keeping them in a brooder with a thermometer on the floor under the heat lamp. Temps need to 90 degrees F the first week, then decrease by 5 degrees a week untill about 6 weeks when they should be fully feathered, and not longer will require heat. The floor should be lined with pine shavings, espcially since they need traction to learn to walk with their problems. Vitamins are very important until they are walkin well. Go up to the learning center at the top of this page for good articles on raising chicks and more. There are multiple good sites on leg problems, such as PoultryPediaPodiatry, TheChickenChick, and others if you do a search at the top of this page, or Google them.

 

[msusweetiegirl]

They aren't in a broader but in a guinea pig cage and I have a thermometer on top of the pine shavings. It's a plastic bottom cage with wire top and heat lamp over the wire. I have a reptile heat mat in the plastic tray that's on a thermostat set at 95. I have a layer of newspaper over that then pine shavings. My temps are staying around 85-92. 92 during the day. Last night 8t got down tob85 so I know at night to raise the heat mat temp up just a bit.

 

[msusweetiegirl]

They are on probiotic and electrolytes in the water. The save a chick has vitamins in it. That should be enough correct?

 

[Eggcessive]

Newspaper is not good unless it is in strips. Flat newsprint may be too slick. Paper towel has more traction. The SaveAChick is good. Make sure the heat lamp is at minimum 18 inches or more from their heads. Raise the light to lower temperatures. Always make sure they have room to get to a cooler spot if they get too warm.

 

[msusweetiegirl]

Newspaper is not good unless it is in strips. Flat newsprint may be too slick. Paper towel has more traction. The SaveAChick is good. Make sure the heat lamp is at minimum 18 inches or more from their heads. Raise the light to lower temperatures. Always make sure they have room to get to a cooler spot if they get too warm.

The newspaper is under the 2 inches or so of pine shavings. It's only there at all to help with cleaning. Chicks aren't touching it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Okay, sounds good. Here are some good links on treating splay leg and other leg problems:
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/04/spraddle-leg.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[msusweetiegirl]

Thank you