Spraddle Leg - Splay Leg Treatment Instructions

[chickenmamalp]

ruth
I'm just not sure it seems that leg looks paralized and rotated.
If I put my finger in the foot it will curl around it but with the bad one it doesn't.
Well I have spent all day picking it up ,checking it, watching it.
I quess I'll try to leave it alone and pray for it!!

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Sometimes, praying for it is all you can do. In a spraddle leg situation there's nothing wrong with the leg, the chick just keeps doing the splits.

I did have a chick hatch that had a bad leg. Over time it deformed more and more. It stuck straight out from her body and would sometimes even be over her head. It was dead from the "knee" down and the claw would hang up in things like vines and bushes and cages. It was so bad by the time she was a year old that we amputated it - there is a thread on here with pics. She had gotten around fine before the surgery by hopping and until shortly before we decided to amputate she could use the leg for balancing but it just got so bad she had no control over it. There was something wrong in the hip area also that allowed it to go over her head. So we amputated from the knee down. It did help her get around again because she could hop and not get it caught in things as she passed by. The surgery went great and she had no bleeding or any compications. But, sadly, we eventually lost her a few months later when she injured her good foot, her only remaining foot, and it got infected and swelled and would not heal. We put her down at that point. Her name was Sweety and she was a sweety. None of the other birds ever picked on her and often could be found sort of snuggling up with her as if to keep her company.

So there's hope for those that have bad legs. Right now I have a rooster that has only one foot. He too got an infection in a foot that swelled to the point it cut off circulation. Despite all efforts, there was nothing I could do. The foot eventually died, dried up and fell off. He has the entire leg and his spur and he walks like a pirate on his "peg leg" but is just fine and dandy.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Thanks for this - I have a chick that is displaying this in one leg. Going to get the band aid now.

 

[chickenmamalp]

well this morning she pooped and ther was a good amount of blood. I observed her again and the poop was o.k I seperated her as the others were trampling her. I put the band-aid back on as the rubber band made her crazy and kept picking .I do like the rubber band better! Thank you for your help

 

[algopurple]

I wish I had found this thread earlier. I just gave 2 chicks away that had spraddle leg and I never figured there was anything that could be done with them.

Ruth do you have any pics. of your rubber band method on any chicks? I think I have a pretty good idea of how to do it but a pic. is always better.

 

[CAChickenNewbee]

I just want to thank all of the caring and patient folks in this forum. I succumbed to a special needs chick emergency at the feed store yesterday (even though I vowed I would not!). I tried to rationaize that I was an inexperienced chicken momma and couldn't possibly take on an injured baby, but they were going to destroy her and you know how that goes. Turns out she's not a chicken, but a guinea hen. Now, I guess I need a few more to keep her company. The photos show her when we got her home, the right leg does not support her body weight and does not bend properly, and toes are curled under. She was eating, drinking and pooping, though so I thought I'd let her rest a bit and calm down after the escape from certain death....after a few hours, still unable to stabilize upright, she dragged herself into the arms of her teddy bear and fell asleep; note the dragging leg and curled toes. I have 5 week old chicks in a brooder right next to her, so I think the chicken chirping helps to calm her. After tons of research I figured I would treat her for spraddle leg and followed the link here to use the bandaid splint and also fashined a boot out of bandaids and an index card to strighten her feet. She is now totally upright on her own, moving around with little difficulty, and chirping for some roommates! This forum provides such a great resource. Thank you.

 

[dab045]

can the leg start going bad like 5 weeks later when he was just fine up until theN?

 

[YB192004]

Quote:
Thanks Ruth, your post is just the right one i am looking for .

 

[pseudoyams]

Yes this is a great post. I brought a hypothermic chick back to life which also had spraddle leg. He's almost ready to go back out in the coop. Today is day 3 with the bandaid treatment. How long do they typically need the support of the bandage?

 

[karaokechick]

I have a baby chick and a baby turkey with the spraddled legs, I have baindaid'd them and hoping for the best! Thank You BYC members for sharing your knowledge & experience!