spradle leg what to do?

I've searched this on this site(and googled it) and others have referred to it so I know it's here somewhere, but I can't find it . How do I try to fix my spradle leg chick. Bandaids, splints, is what folks are referring to. Can someone point me to that post or tell me what to do. She is a few days old. I always put my babies on paper towels. Did I read something about humidity in the bator possibly being the culprit? This is the first chick I have ever had with this. Thanks.

I remember it because it had pics on it of a chick wearing hobbles made of bandaids, I'll see if I can find it. What I did was use medical tape, I tried to position the babies legs as normal as possible then I taped it's legs in position. I left it that way 3 nights and it took care of it, but it was only one leg that stuck out to the side, the other was normal.

This is the thread with pics that helped me out:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=42680

Here's a thread that had two great links to treatments:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=41693

One of my AE affected chicks had (undiagnosed by me) spraddle leg. I didn't realize it was spraddle until she was about 5 weeks old. I used the band aid method and left it on for two weeks.

The band aid came of two days ago and she is walking great!!! Plus, she has finally gotten up to a healthy weight and is no longer looking like a runt! WooHoo!

Thanks everybody for the advice. I can't get the dang bandaid on !!!! It keeps slipping off. And where exactly do you put it? On the "elbow, hock, joint" or above and below it. Is this a two man job? I'm trying to do it alone. It's like trying to diaper a squiggly baby. Might have to wait for the hubby or kids to get home. I feel like I'm trying to wrestle(sp? that doesn't look right but I don't have time to look up the spelling) this tiny chick and I'm losing! I don't want to injure it.

I had the same problem Alpha. I put my band aid below the elbow and closer to the feet. I used a stretchy band aid to make it somewhat easier for her to walk. Having two people would definitely help. I ended up using two band aids and put one on one leg first, then put the second band aid on the second leg and attached it to the OTHER band aid. It stayed put the whole two weeks it was on, and then came off fairly easy.

My other chick has not been as easy. Her band aid keeps slipping up over the elbows and becomes ineffective. Last night I tried using the blue horse tape that only sticks to itself. So far it has stayed put and was VERY easy to put on. However, she is unhappy and having trouble walking with it. I plan on adjusting it tonight if her "getting around" hasn't improved.

Good luck!!!

OK all, we got the little darling tackled. It's a frizzle and has heavy fuzz on its legs. The bandaids just weren't holding so we tried that white medical tape. That is sticking better. When we put her down she often ends up on her belly with her legs sticking out behind her. She looks pretty helpless. So somewhere I read that someone put their chick in a round container so I have done that in the hope that it would be confined to a smaller space and could right itself more easily. So should I expect this "leg out the back" behavior for now or should she be able to stand? Only one of her legs is affected.

I had to think back. This little one hatched 6 days ago and I always put them on paper towels for the first two weeks or so. But two days ago I put one of those little round chickie feeders with the holesaround the perimeter in there. Later that day is when she was "spradled". She also had a bit of blood on one of her toes. I don't know if maybe she was climbing on it and slipped. Don't know if the chick she is with picked her toe. She was 4 days old and doing jsut fine before that.

Copied from another post:

Check out what a friend did here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/v … p?id=20205


Nutrition is key in addition to the band aid. I've been given my chicks
a vitamin/electrolyte combo for the first week in their water.

Hand feeding is going to be important as the band aid won't assist the
baby getting around.

Good luck. We've been through many a splay now. Some have happy endings
and some don't.



Keep the nutrition up. Hand feeding is key to helping a spraddle survive.



The runt on the left is our latest survivor. She is now out in the coop with the
big girls and doing well. You should see her run from the mean EE.

SIlkies hatched from FluffnStuffs eggs

OK, it has been several days and I fear that I'm not doing an adequate job. Sometimes she pops her hobbles and I have to redo it. Is she supposed to be able to walk like that? She kind of falls over and rolls. Eventually she can right herself and stand for a few minutes but then she falls over again. I have seen her eat but she is not growing like she should. She barely has any wing feathers. I am giving her the vits also. I know I might not be able to save her but I'm trying to do my best. She isn't lathargic at all.

Also, I have confined her to a small plastic container because I thought I read that someone had done that and also I thought the sides of the container would be supportive. Is that wrong? Is she better off having the run of the brooder? Will that make her stronger? I'm also trying to keep her away from the one other chick in there. It is picking on her.

Any advice is appreciated.