3 day old doing splits

My chicks hatched 4 days late so I'm sure that contributes to the problem. I have one baby who is doing good other than her foot is all curled up. She gets around ok but can't open her foot. I also have a baby who looks like she is doing the splits. One leg out to either side. If I move her to the feed and water she sits up and eats or drinks but she can't move herself very far very fast. She looks like a row boat as she moves. Any suggestions or ideas or help?

Sounds like you've got a case of curled toes and a case of splayed leg. Both are easily fixable

For the curled toes, cut a piece of cardboard or bandaid a little bigger than the chick's foot. Arrange its toes on it in the proper orientation, then tape them in place using a strip of bandaid. Leave it on for a few days and the toes should straighten.

For splayed leg, use either a bandaid or a piece of vet wrap (vet wrap is better because it'll be easier to remove) to hold the legs together in the normal position. The chick might have trouble getting around like this so you'll have to keep an eye on it and make sure there's marbles or something in the waterer so it doesn't fall face in and drown. Leave that on for a few days and then take it off and the legs should be fixed. If not, re-bind the legs.

You need to do both of these things ASAP because you need to get it fixed before their bones harden or it'll be permanent.

Example pictures:






What substrate are you using in the brooder? Splayed leg is mostly caused by the chicks living on a surface that they can't get good traction on.

Paper towels covered in a bit of pine shavings. Both babies came out like that. I think it was my inaccurate temperature and lack of knowledge on incubation. Lesson learned. Thank you for the help, I will do it immediately. Hopefully you will get to see them both on the 28th. Fingers crossed I can help them.

Chicken girl 15 said:

Paper towels covered in a bit of pine shavings. Both babies came out like that. I think it was my inaccurate temperature and lack of knowledge on incubation. Lesson learned. Thank you for the help, I will do it immediately. Hopefully you will get to see them both on the 28th. Fingers crossed I can help them.

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Good luck with them!

Curly is doing better, however the baby with slayed legs passed over night. Better that she went now than suffer.

Chicken girl 15 said:

Curly is doing better, however the baby with slayed legs passed over night. Better that she went now than suffer.

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So sorry Glad to hear Curly's recovering!

Curly has become spunky with her/his "new feet".

You know you'll have to keep it now because you named it

That makes 4 I can't process. 3 disabled girls and my lead roo. There is Crooked the white leghorn who has wry neck, blondy my odd breast feather RIR and now Curly my RIR / gold spitz baby. Last of the lifers is Golden Boy the gentleman of the flock, he feeds the baby chicks through the fence.

I hate when they do neat stuff. It makes me too attached.

Lol I accidentally asked in the Chickstock thread instead of here, but do you have a picture of the little guy? You really do get attached to the ones that need extra help.