Fixing Splayed legs

[KsKingBee]

Sounds like you got ya a little buddy there, you will love it and it will help the other be more calm when they see it so close to you and they are not freaking out, every peafowl owner should experience a pea Shadow one time in their life, they are a hoot .

Zaz, I was concerned that I was doing something bad after reading FBC's comment. I have four little snuggle bunnies that love to come in every night and sit on my chest and neck wiggling around and snoozing in my beard. The get so excited when they see me, the oldest one will fly up to me and perch on my shoulder and hop from one arm to the other. Hmmm, I may not like that so much when they get full grown... but for now it's really fun.

 

[Dustystrail]

I love this. I don't imagine I'll have any peachicks for a year or two but I'm saving this in case I need it for chicken chicks. I currently use rubber band type leg bands as a stretchy brace but I've had a couple that were too bad and I wish I would have thought of this. Thanks FBC!

 

[zazouse]

Zaz, I was concerned that I was doing something bad after reading FBC's comment. I have four little snuggle bunnies that love to come in every night and sit on my chest and neck wiggling around and snoozing in my beard. The get so excited when they see me, the oldest one will fly up to me and perch on my shoulder and hop from one arm to the other. Hmmm, I may not like that so much when they get full grown... but for now it's really fun.

Yep get ready for the bigger verson of these babies it only gets worse

but there is nothing cooler than a flock running to you when you call them.

 

[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.

 

[casportpony]

Great thread and info!

-Kathy

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I'll get some pics this weekend during my next hatch-a-long. Hopefully the power won't go out again and everyone will come out okay.

 

[HarrisonCreek]

Sadly, one of the Buff Sussex that hatched overnight has splayed legs. :-(

My daughters were soooo concerned. We read this post on BYC about using zip-ties and newspaper to immobilize in these cases, so we tried it.
My 11 year old daughter very bravely helped, and the 8 year old took photos.

We weren't able to roll the chick up properly with legs underneath, so we decided to try a sock! Chick was content for a few hours, then... NOT. SO. MUCH. It took me a while to get the zip tie off (was probably too thick, but it's all we had on hand and I thought: the sooner the better- It was clearly rubbing and the chick was distressed. I'd crossed the legs (as shown), so it couldn't stand at all, if we left it out of it's wrap.

Scissors didn't work and I ended up needing to use wire snippers to get the zip-tie off, which worked a treat. Then I ended up holding the little thing for much of the afternoon. Hopefully it didn't get too cold.

Called hubby to get coban (vet-wrap) on his way home from work. The little "w-sitter" is in the brooder in a separate little box, because the others are pecking at it. We've now done the Chicken Chick approach and occasionally the chick seems to get the legs under him/her, but frequently cheeps in distress (will this adversly affect the other chicks??) , and often sleeps on its back (***IS THAT OK?? TO SLEEP ON IT BACK? ***I hope it's ok for it to sleep on its back, or it'll be a long night for me!!)

 

[casportpony]

Sadly, one of the Buff Sussex that hatched overnight has splayed legs. :-(

My daughters were soooo concerned. We read this post on BYC about using zip-ties and newspaper to immobilize in these cases, so we tried it.
My 11 year old daughter very bravely helped, and the 8 year old took photos.

We weren't able to roll the chick up properly with legs underneath, so we decided to try a sock! Chick was content for a few hours, then... NOT. SO. MUCH. It took me a while to get the zip tie off (was probably too thick, but it's all we had on hand and I thought: the sooner the better- It was clearly rubbing and the chick was distressed. I'd crossed the legs (as shown), so it couldn't stand at all, if we left it out of it's wrap.

Scissors didn't work and I ended up needing to use wire snippers to get the zip-tie off, which worked a treat. Then I ended up holding the little thing for much of the afternoon. Hopefully it didn't get too cold.

Called hubby to get coban (vet-wrap) on his way home from work. The little "w-sitter" is in the brooder in a separate little box, because the others are pecking at it. We've now done the Chicken Chick approach and occasionally the chick seems to get the legs under him/her, but frequently cheeps in distress (will this adversly affect the other chicks??) , and often sleeps on its back (***IS THAT OK?? TO SLEEP ON IT BACK? ***I hope it's ok for it to sleep on its back, or it'll be a long night for me!!)

Here is how I did one:



The stuff I use is that first aid tape that's like paper.

-Kathy

 

[HarrisonCreek]

When you do this, does the chick get up normally? I've used coban/vetwrap to do like you did, but this chick can't stand up, even with help. I'm thinking it's neurological. It keeps falling to the same side and its wing is getting a sore on it.

It's just terrible. This is my first hatch ever. And with all the opening of the incubator to deal with this one, the new hatches are coming out sticky. Sad way to learn by mistakes. I thought I'd been reading up enough, but now I realize how difficult this is.

 

[Dustystrail]

When you do this, does the chick get up normally? I've used coban/vetwrap to do like you did, but this chick can't stand up, even with help. I'm thinking it's neurological. It keeps falling to the same side and its wing is getting a sore on it.

It's just terrible. This is my first hatch ever. And with all the opening of the incubator to deal with this one, the new hatches are coming out sticky. Sad way to learn by mistakes. I thought I'd been reading up enough, but now I realize how difficult this is.

You may be correct to think it is neurological if the chick lays on it's back and cries a lot. The only other thing I can think of is a slipped tendon which would cause it's leg to not work correctly and turn to the side. If that is the case you will want to act quickly and I have not had very good luck with that. Splayed legs on the other hand are pretty simple to fix with tape or my favorite is to use the rubber leg bands with an extra one holding them together. I plan to try the OP's method next time though because it seems like it may work even better.