2 Silkie Chicks One Day Old Born with 1 Leg they Won't Put weight on

[chicknfishn]

This is may 2nd hatch and except for a few late quitters I have had good luck until now.

I have 2 little partridge silkies that hatched yesterday, they were a day later than everybody else and they each have a leg problem, but with different legs. Both had this before I took them out of the bator. I have a rubber mat in the bator and no other chicks have this problem.
They both seem to have not really spraddle leg, because it seems that they don't want to put any weight on the leg at the joint/knee area. I am treating for spraddle leg but it seems like it is not working because they are not placing any weight on that side. Currently I have them seperated from the rest and otherwise they seem healthy and happy.Also both are trying to walk with one leg, and they seem to almost be able to. They both keep their one bad leg up in the air stuck out to the side a little bit, and do not attempt to put any weight on it. There is no way that they broke it in the incubator. They hatched this way.

Anyone else ever have this problem?


Trying to figure out how to help them.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[CoopCrazy]

I would go ahead and just watch them .. If they figure out how to get around witgh the one leg great, otherwise you can try to splint the leg so they can be mobile..

 

[chicknfishn]

Thank you for the input. I was wondering if I should try using a Q-tip to permanently straighten that leg. Except I was wondering how would it be able to sit/sleep with one leg splinted? I have been working the leg bask and forth, at the joint to get them used to the idea of moving it. Rather odd to see 2 one day old chicks balancing on one leg. One uses its wings and the other one doesn't. Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[chicknfishn]

I put neosporin and vet wrap on my two babies last night and just redid it this morning. Last night the joint was quite swollen and the adcess hard. I just unwrapped and looked at them and cut off the old dead stuff on top and then put hydrogen peroxide on and more neosporin and rewrapped everything again.

People in different threads seem to think that it may be slipped tendon. But how does it get infected and get an open sore if it is just slipped?

Both chicks are still quite spunky , not giving up yet. I didp their beaks in water every so often. They are both eating OK.

I hope that this works. I really like these 2 silkie babies!!

 

[Chickengal505]

Can you afford and aputation? If you can't i'll tell you how to, thats your best bet don't let infection spred to the rest of him/her.

 

[chicknfishn]

I really don't need 2 one legged chickens.

I have changed their bandages and one is sometimes now putting weight on its leg.

The other one keeps its leg stuck out in an odd way. So this one I used a Q Tip that I cut smaller and used it like a splint to make the leg stretch out. It seems to like it when its leg is stretched out. Both are still very spunky and eating and drinking, however not growing as fast as the others. But this is to be expected because they are not constantly eating like the others.

Keep your fingers crossed that it keeps working.