Chick leg injured

[ivanmichel]

hey we recently hatched some chicks and this one hatched perfectly out of its egg but seems to have a leg injury I dont know if it's a injury or it's already been like that since it has hatched I want to know how to help it or if it's just best to leave him Ana dare what happens

 

[KittyKat3756]

Could be slipped tendon around the "knee" or splayed legs. First is fixed by physiotherapy and the latter with corrective brace. Search for both of those issues to identify which one you're dealing with.

One of my chicks had a slipped tendon and I thought that it had splayed legs. By the time I realised that I'd made a mistake, physio didn't help anymore as the tendon was too short. The hen wouldn't have had a good life outside, so she made a tasty dinner. She couldn't walk properly and would have been picked on by other hens. Highly recommend that you take action immediately so you don't end up in the same situation that I was in!

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that it could be a slipped tendon. But I would start some chick vitamins in the water or use 2 drops of PolyVisol (without iron) baby vitamins given orally once a day, just in case it helps. A little chick chair with food and water close to her may help keep her upright and get enough to eat. I would also look at the website poultrypediapodiatry.com for more info.
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some homemade chick chairs, some with food and water containers:

 

[bflfcoop]

Omg....I am SOOO glad I found this post! I have a chick doing the splits and I wantEd to make a chair for it....since it is not getting any better or any worse...I am making an appointment for the vet to come to the farm and check her out. I made a log from a dog toy to prop her up so her legs weren't doing the splits, but she would tumble off of it of course...so a chair I am in need of!

 

[Eggcessive]

Omg....I am SOOO glad I found this post! I have a chick doing the splits and I wantEd to make a chair for it....since it is not getting any better or any worse...I am making an appointment for the vet to come to the farm and check her out. I made a log from a dog toy to prop her up so her legs weren't doing the splits, but she would tumble off of it of course...so a chair I am in need of!

Do you have the chick on vitamins? How long has this been going on? Could she have splayed legs?

 

[bflfcoop]

Hi there, no to splayed legs, they were on straw that had 2 inches of shavings on top. She was acting normal at night and in the morning and by that evening, she was on her hicks. I brought there inside...and she went in a fish tank.....wish just shavings. I position hwr legs and massage them but when she tried to move, the only way she can comfortably position herself to not strain her body. She was vaccinated for maereks.disease which I know doesn't do anything if she got a different strain of maereks.disease then what was vaccinated for...us it's not a cure or an armor. It just helps lesson the chance of getting cancer from it. I was thinking vitamin dececiency, because no other chick has it, nor other bird in the same coop building have anything like it ( about 163 birds (I know I have a problem)but no other chick or chicken got sick!

 

[Eggcessive]

Hi there, no to splayed legs, they were on straw that had 2 inches of shavings on top. She was acting normal at night and in the morning and by that evening, she was on her hicks. I brought there inside...and she went in a fish tank.....wish just shavings. I position hwr legs and massage them but when she tried to move, the only way she can comfortably position herself to not strain her body. She was vaccinated for maereks.disease which I know doesn't do anything if she got a different strain of maereks.disease then what was vaccinated for...us it's not a cure or an armor. It just helps lesson the chance of getting cancer from it. I was thinking vitamin dececiency, because no other chick has it, nor other bird in the same coop building have anything like it ( about 163 birds (I know I have a problem)but no other chick or chicken got sick!

I would still try vitamins, even a human BComplex tablet crushed in food or yogurt or dissolved in water. Riboflavin (B2) is the thing she needs. Vitamin deficiency is still possible with good feed. Leg bone deformities are also common. Perhaps put another chick in with her for company, and you can rotate them in and out.

 

[bflfcoop]

@Eggcessive I had been doing that, with the chicks....until the Chick I put in there (I had to put ones smaller than itself in, so they couldn't accidentally hurt her) buddies up to her too much. It started to stand on top of her back to sleep.....or run right over top of her, because she couldn't move, and then she would flap her wings and get upset. So then I put a 3 day old banty chick in with her, and omg, the cuteness! I rotated them, and each one would Cuddy under her wings for warmth (since they need to be under heat, but she does not) the room is kept at 78 degrees, but each banty would cuddle with her. She like that, she would close her eyes and sleep. Last night I made a chicken sling chair thing. I Put a small food and water dish ND set it in front of her, but twice a day (maybe I should do more?) I am taking feed and mixing it with vitamin solution and springing it in until her crop is decently full. Then twice a day at seperated times from feeding I syringe in vitamin water. If she isn't active ND is only taking sips of water here and there, send prob isn't getting enough Bs. Or manganese . Basically not enough vitamins.

 

[bflfcoop]

And sorry from so many typos in previous osteoporosis, I was really tired typing that last night. That picture is of her shim sham chair. Her feet dangle below, but she is cradled in the opening and I made a sort of harness to hold her in place...paper towels below so she can freely go to tell bathroom, and there is a pillow case folded all around for a cushion. It's hard to see it, but I didn't make it for looks I made it to be as comfy as possible, and easy for me to take error out and move her legs. When I hold her, I put my hand in between her legs and let her legs hang straight down on each side. See can move them from the hip joint, as she tends to flick them about when she doesn't feel balanced, but she can't move them at the hock, or her foot. It seems like they move by themselves as she will be sleeping, or resting and they vibrate. I manipulate her legs and bend them they way they should naturally, but I get some resistance when I get them into the position they would be if she were perching, and resting on her feet, or a roost. When I feel error legs, it's weird, her leg feels like it is buzzing or vibrating. She will move them like paddles (from the hip) but that is about it. Her toes move ever so slightly, they don't curl under, but they face under.