3 Baby Chicks 3 Different Issues.... I think?

[Kershylyn]

Hi, I am new to this, I mean I am completely new to raising any kind of fowl. I love any and all animals, so when I went to look at some baby chicks I was planning on purchasing, after some preparation and education, I was such a softy that I took the 3 that were 'not for sale'. Now thanks to this website and all of you bird lovers wisdom, I feel that their is some hope for these chicks.

I have been reading all of these forums and reading Poultry Podiatry.com. I have One chick that had curled toes, another that is using its hocks to walk on and has some-what 2 curled toes, and the third I am most concerned about because it, I thought had a splayed leg but now it's leg is sticking completely out, backwards-ish vs before when it was off to the side.

I am mostly concerned with the third chick w/splayed leg. The first one that had curled toes already looks like it's better. The second chick I am open to suggestions too, I have shoes on chick 1 & 2. Chick 2 is still using hocks. Please and thanks!

 

[Jrose]

I had a chick that got stuck under a tray in the hatcher and her legs were stuck completely folded under her, toes clenched shut.

For the first 2 days we did 'physical therapy' every few hours. I stretched her legs very gently. Cradled her body on one finger and made the legs dangle, uncurled the toes, etc. I didn't see much improvement so I made a 'chick chair'. You can read about these online. I cut two little holes for her legs out of a soft cotton painter's mask, taped the mask over a box with a hole cut out so that the mask would support her weight naturally, like a hammock. I'd set her in it and stretch her legs out. They would be forced to dangle. She would relax (was already very weak) and let them hang. We did this a few minutes at a time several times a day. By day 5 she was trying to hobble on her legs, now outstretched, but her toes had trouble uncurling and her legs were splaying. So I made chick 'hobbles' our of a tiny band-aid (cut in half 'hotdog' style cause she was so tiny). Gently bandage on end round each leg at a 'normal width'. Two days of the chick hobble and she was good as gold. She was a very small chick, half the size of the others, but today she is the same size and laying beautiful eggs. Since the day she took her first step she's been all legs, running like crazy, super jumpy and fast. I think she rejoices in using them every day She's very attached to me and has a lot of trust in me as a result of this too.

Hope this helps! I can clarify if you like. Most important thing is to jump on this ASAP because their bodies are developing. Also keep them hydrated and fed. Feed treats to encourage eating.

 

[Jrose]

Oh, you can also make chick sandals, too. Trace their foot on a thin bit of board, cut it out, and gently band-aid it to their foot. Use this in conjunction with hobbles if needed. Stretch them out before binding or hobbling them, don't shock their bodies.

 

[Kershylyn]

Thanks. Your story has made me feel so encouraged and makes me feel even better about what I am doing. Thanks for sharing. I am really tired, but I am more concerned that chick number 3 is not going to make it through the night. IT is really lethargic, just lays there on it's tummy or side with its legs spread out. I have had the leg splay on for 3 hours now, but IT is still just laying there letting the others walk all over it. It keep's crying and I am so lost and worried.

 

[Kershylyn]

Well, I didn't post any pictures tonight and I am far too tired to do so. I have left the splint/leg splay band-aid on, and I will until tomorrow. I am going to keep an ear on the baby chick for the night and hope that it is well in the A.M. I don't want to separate the baby chick. So torn and confused. Night, Thanks and I will be back on in 5 hours.

 

[Jrose]

To help them build muscle, support their little body on your fingertip and let their legs dangle to touch the ground 'normally'. Make them use the legs while supporting them. They have to build up the muscles and repair the damage. Do 'walking' therapy every few hours for 5 minutes or so if you can. Encourage drinking, maybe do some molasses water for energy, keep them hydrated and fed! Chopped worms are usually a winner with chicks.

 

[azygous]

You sure do have your hands full with chick problems! All I can offer, after Jrose's excellent advice, is to try to get come food into your very weak chick. I've had really good luck using crumbled tofu with Poultry Nutri-drench sprinkled over it. They'll eat tofu when nothing else tempts them.

 

[Kershylyn]

Thank you both very much. I feel that I am doing everything right and that I am just over concerned. Chick number one is still doing fabulous. I replaced it's shoes, because one shoe came off and the other you could see the curled toes. Chick number 2 is still walking on it's hocks but the curled toes have seemed to gone away. I have got to research more on how to get the chick off it's hocks and how to help build some leg strength. Last night before I went to bed I separated chick 3 from the other too, as it was so lethargic it would get smothered. I put it in a coffee container, in the box with the others, with a shirt for comfort. I was able to get some water and food in it's belly before bed. It's leg is still being stubborn and trying to stick backwards with the splint on. It isn't crying as much and it's breathing is better. I am definitely going to do some physical therapy. I am also going to try and get it some more riboflavin. Definitely going to try the molasses water and
I am going to post some pics.
Also, I learned the hard way yesterday. I didn't take the water dish out, yet I knew I had read that with feet and leg problems chicks need constant supervision with water troughs. I was sitting on my couch when a chick made a terrible noise and I thought one was dreaming until I saw chick number 1 on its back in the water trough drowning. I picked it up and rubbed it's tummy and proceeded to give mouth to mouth....lol... my kids were mortified. I stopped giving full on mouth to mouth and blew a little in it's face. I layed the chick on its tummy and got it to cough up a little water before I layed it on it's side and rubbed it's chest some more. The chick lived and I brushed my teeth. Was giving the chick mouth to mouth right or should I have just rubbed the tummy n blew in face?

 

[Kershylyn]

This is baby chick 1, don't know what it's breed is. It had curled toes.



This is baby chick one with shoes on. 02/25/2015

 

[Kershylyn]

This is baby chick 2. It has raw hocks and you can see the toes curled-ish on the left.



This is baby chick 2 with shoes on. It is still using hobble's but I think toes are better.