My poor chicks leg is going backwards!! Please help!!

[LuvMyChicks27]

My poor little Barred Rock came to me with bad legs. I was going to splint them, but the day I came home with that in mind, I saw that one of her legs is now backwards from the hip. I do t quite know what to do. I love my little chick and want to help her! If anyone has any suggestions that doesn't involve very expensive vet visit I am all ears. I do t want to lose her but I don't want her to suffer either.

Thanks for any advise!!

 

[BunkyB]

For me that is the hardest thing to deal with is a twisted leg and a big heart. I hear your pain. Wow, what to suggest? Can you feel the top of the joint on both legs and see if they feel similar or an obvious dislocation... Is the leg completely limp, can the toes curl. I ask stupid questions but it helps understand the situation.
It is a very difficult thing to do but gently massage the top of the leg to see if slowly you can move the leg as if to straighten it, slowly, if there is resistance right away stop doing the rotation.If it rotates, dislocation seems to be the problem. Instant resistance can be a few problems still depending on the age. chicks stand a chance to correct their feet . Could be the cramped hatch. Just try to make sure food and water is available. I am curious and will subscribe to this post to see any results and other peoples opinions.. Chin up and do what you can... Steve(BunkyB)

 

[fried green eggs]

I'm so sorry. Here is a link to great info that can help you little one. The site gives great how-to with pictures https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry Hope you can help it get straightened out.

 

[cows and chickens]

I had a group of meaties last year develop a similar problem. The issue i believe stemmed from an incubation fluctuation. I dosed the affected chicks with poly vi sol vitamins daily for 5 days and then every other day for another 5. I also boosted their calcium with yogurt and got them as much sun as possible. In my instance the chicks recovered well enough to make it to butchering time. If the chick's problem is genetic, you may see a short term recovery only to have the problem reappear.

 

[fried green eggs]

I'm sorry you had to do that. Sometimes it really is the best you can do for them.

 

[Ninaj]

I have a chick in a slightly similar situation. He can walk and at times stand up straight. It's legs look completely normal but one turns a little inward when he walks stepping over his other foot causing himself to trip. He hatched yesterday morning at first I thought he needed to gain some strength but he is still doing the same thing this morning. He is able to get to food and water and is pretty active. When hatching he had a difficult time because he pipped the egg in the middle. Maybe he just strained his leg trying to get out? The 8 other chicks all turned out normal so I don't think incubation was the issue. Does anyone have any ideas? Could this be something that will get better in time or is there something I should do to help it get better?

 

[Ninaj]

Thank you for your response! I tried creating a splint (from ideas I got from watching videos and searching online) to hold it's legs straight but the poor chick couldn't walk. So I went ahead and wrapped the bottom part of it's legs with band-aids. When wrapping it's legs I wrapped the band-aids outwardly to help turn it's legs a bit and that seems to be helping the chick hold it's leg a little straighter. I also took the advice from a website which I later noticed was the same one posted above, and sort of gave the chick a little physical therapy. I stood him up several times and straightened it's leg, he is able to hold himself up for quite awhile pretty well. The site said this helps to teach him that holding that position help give him better balance. This seems to be helping a great deal I've already caught him running across the brooder a couple of times with an occasional trip but a big improvement from how he was this morning. I will leave the band-aids on and will continue with the mini therapy sessions. By the way, I'm really sorry about your chick.

 

[Kathy Judson]

No swelling...it looks like the valgus-varus where it is twisted at the "knee". It does not seem to hurt at all to twist it straight. I got it straight and taped it, and then to the other leg but the other chicks started picking on her then. Before that she moved around fine and no one bothered her...so I took it off and put her in a playpen as described in the article. I am ordering vitamins and don't know what else to do...

 

[LuvMyChicks27]

Thanks too all of you for such quick replies! To answer some questions, she can still move the leg a little bit and still has the ability to move her toes, which is why I figured it wasn't broken. When I get home from work I will see if I can move it back into place (though to be honest, when it comes to my babies I am a bit squeamish if I think it might hurt them).
Also, thank you for that web site. I have book marked it! Seems to have a lot of great information for a newbie like me!
I am also going to head to the store for yogurt, I figure a little treat that is good for her definitely can't hurt. I will keep y'all updated and again thank you so much for your thoughtful words and advise!!

 

[LuvMyChicks27]

Well, sadly I had her put down today. She was in so much pain and I just couldn't watch her suffer anymore! Thanks again to everyone for the great advise! Rip Forrest!