day-old chick with "curled feet" (last attempt before culling... )

I am so glad your chick made it. I have a chick with both feet curled. He is so little. I am going to try it. Did he do alright with the masking tape? Did you keep him from walking a lot with the tape on?

thanks so much for the info. I was worried about my chicks ankle too.

Quote:
We ended up having to make a little "foot shoe" using a pipe cleaner and some surgical tape.

It worked super well!

Linky with info and how-to pics: http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1/

technodoll said:

I just had the brilliant idea of making shoes/ankle splints with pipe cleaners and surgical tape... DH is on his way home from work and will stop at Walmart to get the supplies, this is a make-it or break-it attempt...


The babies get Super Booster in their drinking water - http://www.drugs.com/vet/super-booster-can.html  - would a change to poly-vi-sol make any difference? I have some here...


Everyone is thriving except for this poor sweetiepie - /img/smilies/fl.gif oh this has GOT to work... otherwise we will have no choice /img/smilies/sad.png

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Please tell me how you did this with pipe cleaners!?! I have one chick with both feet curled under along with the hocks, another with just one! I have tried the band aid with both but the one I have had no luck with it's feet won't straighten out to the front

it worked super well with the pipe cleaners!

i can't find any of our pics but we based it on something like this: http://www.bexlife.com/2009/07/chick-shoes-round-2/

we had to put a bit of pipe cleaner going up the ankle to force the feet in proper position at first, it's awkward for the chick but it's better than eventual death by immobility. they adjust very quickly. as the legs and toes become straighter and stronger, you can adjust the "shoes" accordingly.

good luck!

technodoll said:

it worked super well with the pipe cleaners!

i can't find any of our pics but we based it on something like this: http://www.bexlife.com/2009/07/chick-shoes-round-2/

we had to put a bit of pipe cleaner going up the ankle to force the feet in proper position at first, it's awkward for the chick but it's better than eventual death by immobility. they adjust very quickly. as the legs and toes become straighter and stronger, you can adjust the "shoes" accordingly.

good luck!

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Thank you! I am going to try this and see how it turns out, hopefully very well! Fingers crossed

lovingbirds said:

Thank you! I am going to try this and see how it turns out, hopefully very well! Fingers crossed

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Ok, so I tried the pipe cleaner and it had fallen off overnight, apparently I didn't have it taped well :/ my husband suggested that I try a paper clip against the hock, which actually worked well on one foot/leg. On the other side, not so well! I made a new shoe with the pipe cleaner and used a paper clip for the other side, now we wait! I''ll leave it on for 4 days and still hope for the best. He/she is trying to walk, but it is going to take a few days because it has never been able to walk. I really hope I don't have to cull this baby

I had a baby like this and I used surgical tape. I put one piece on the bottom of his foot and straightened the toes to the right places for them, and then put another piece on top of the foot to hold the two pieces of tape together. His legs were okay, and once the toes were spread out in the correct position he was alright. The tape I just left on for a few days and then when I took it off if it wasn't quite right, I would put more on till his toes were strong enough to stay in place. Didn't have any problems after that.

I know this is an old thread but I recently had an issue with a hatchling quail with one curled foot. She just couldn't get it to splay out like the other foot. I used the white, cloth type athletic tape that you can purchase at walmart. I cut a rectangle big enough to encase her foot. Then I placed her foot onto the tape in a relaxed but splayed position trying to keep the toes in alignment and then just doubled the tape over the top. So that she had a big square tape bootie on. Next I held it to the light so I could see all her tiny toes perfectly and cut it down to size, but do be careful. She only had to wear this silly bandage bootie for a day and once I got the tape off, which was harder than application, her teeny feet were fine and functioning properly. You may need to recruit a helper to hold your chick still and in position. One handed was a little tricky, but definitely doable!