Fixing Splayed legs

[frenchblackcopper]

We all hope it never happens but sometimes it does. Right around pipping time is when the legs and toes begin to start to stiffen up and become less pliable,so to speak. That being said, once the egg is pipped hopefully it shouldn't take more than 24 hours and it's out and doing great. But if it takes a lot longer or you have an egg that butt pips chances are if your not there to expedite hatching,your peachicks going to have trouble.
This is what happened to me this past weekend when our power was out for about 6 hours and I was not aware of it.We had just a few peachicks completely out and dried off before the outage. A few were pipped and some was a little further along. Still,several had not yet pipped and when I first looked the temperature of the hatcher was down to 64 degrees. Two chicks was almost lifeless that were completely and fresh out of the eggs. Older ones were fine. We immediatedly lost 3 chicks that were pipped before the power loss. And still had about 15 with no pip. This occured on day 28. As the temperature quickly came up the two new hatched ones perked right up and are now doing fine. Here is the nightmare we now have on our hands with 4 chicks.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Splayed legs and crooked toes are associated with long pip to hatch times.All bones are very soft and pliable while the chick is still inside the egg but once outside air is introduced thru pipping the countdown starts. As time progresses the bones starts to stiffen up and become less and less pliable or bendable. I was told low humidity contributes to this as well especially after pipping has occured. Splayed legs I do not understand tho because while the chick is inside the egg the legs are under the peachick in a normal position. I would think the cartilage has not became strong enough or the muscles strong enough to keep the legs properly pulled under the chick Maybe the actual strength-health of the chick has more to do with splayed legs than crooked toes.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

i will surly try this, last year i spent 4 days with 1 chick i can not imagine 4 of them

Zaz,this proves beyond any doubt your a pealover to the fullest extent and meaning of the word. It would be so easy for anyone to just walk away from peachicks that do have issues such as this.Many of us here know too that this is but a small window of oppurtunity given to us each year to progress forward and add life and new blood to our flocks.Hatchtime is fun but it also is a lot of work and not much can be found help wise locally if need be. Trying homemade remedies or cures costs us nothing but a chance to learn and help an otherwise hopeless loss of life. These chicks deserve an effort by me to become normal. One is the first Bronze pied chick I've ever hatched so it too is wrapped and toes was bad on one foot so they are taped as well. Bad thing about this little pea is it's imprinting on me since I've been working on it for 2 days, cries constantly when it goes back in the brooder box. Once it sees or hears me and I reach inside it immediatly tries to come to me to be held.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Well the one peachick that I used for the pictures is now 100%. The other IB still is shaky on one leg but it does not point out like it did. The bronze pied is much,much better but still has tape on his toes so it cannot yet get up and toodle around.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

Great advice Q8! Do you think it is too late or can I still do it on this one? It has been out of the shell since the 17th and today is the 21st.

No, its not late, i fixed many chicks when they are 10 days or older, you will just need to put the shoe for longer time.

 

[Shahliah1]

Frenchi hasn't been on here for years but here is what we do at Spring Creek Peafowl. We leave them on the cardboard for 12 hours and check them, if not fully healed we put them back for another 12 hours and that usually cures both the legs and the foot issues that accompany splayed legs.
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Thank you very much.. I appreciate the reply

I’ve tried it, he certainly isn’t very happy and putting up a real fight

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Oh FBC, sorry about your peababy troubles!
I know you will do your best for this little guy.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Many may just decide to put the peachick down. But as I have done in the past, if you spend a little time and effort you can have the chick up to normal in about 2 days or less. The main objective is to act quickly. Waiting more than 24 hours sometimes can be too late on getting toes straight. But I have sucessfully hobbled and restrained splayed legged peachicks that are 2-3 days old and they come thru it better than waiting, then trying to correct crooked toes.
The first thing I do is to secure both legs together under the peachick. I use 4" zipties and draw it tight enough so the chicks legs are held together and they cannot pull their feet thru the loop in the tie.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I then cut strips of newspaper about 6" wide and about 12" long.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Now comes the fun part. The object is to keep both legs under the body of the peachick,as if in a natural position when it would be sitting. I place the chick in the middle of the papers width. You must have room on both ends to secure the newspaper and to properly restrain-restrict the peachicks movement. The key is to keep both legs immobile for a day or so in a position they should be in if they were normal.