3 week old sablepoot chick-need advice on leg issue please.

[Shabana]

Heya
I,ve hatched my 1st lot of chicks using a brinsea incubator, all are great except one. One leg is fine, the other is ok to the knee but the ankle is not right. Initially i thought it was an injury during hatching, then i thought maybe riboflavin so she had drops.
She is now 3 weeks old. Eats and drinks well but sits quite a bit.
The feathers on her leg have grown round that leg almost like a cushion.
When she sits the foot is slightly turned out, kinda thumb upwards if it was a hand, and she keeps the ankle straight and flat.
There's no discoloration and while balancing on her good leg ive seen her use her bad leg to scratch herself.
She uses her wings to get to treats fast and isnt picked on.

I think it might be a slipped tendon or an injury but due to inexperience ive missed something. Can a hen live a good life if it was a tendon issue ?
Am i right in thinking that at almost a month old its too late to correct ?
Would this be viable to consider - i wouldnt want her to be in pain, but she seems to be doing well and thriving otherwise.

I'd be grateful for any advice or personal experiences in this. I will get a pic of her today and post it later.

 

[chooks4life]

Sorry to hear it hasn't corrected! The vitamins should have done it by now if it were a deficiency issue.

An ankle issue is most likely congenital, unfortunately. They don't have any tendons to slip in that area which are capable of pulling the bone structure out of functional shape --- to the best of my knowledge. Never seen nor heard of that. I know with ducks incubation issues can cause badly angled feet but I haven't heard of the equivalent in chickens. Leg issues and conformation issues yes but not to that extent. Still, I may be missing something. It does sound quite unusual.

Hopefully the pic will help.

Depending on what's wrong she may live a good life yet.

Best wishes.

 

[Shabana]

Heya
Sorry for late reply but yesterday went by in a whirl !
Here are some photos of her foot.
The leg and knee work perfectly it's the ankle that's the issue its kind of twisted thumbs up and she limps on the side of it.
She seems happy enough, she's never last for treats she just sits more.

Many thanks xx

 

[Shabana]

Hope you can see with my dodgy photos. Basically her "thumb" is pointing up and as a result her leg feathers are curled under her foot.
During the summer it won't be much of a problem but in wet weather I think I will have to trim the feathers as they will get matted.

My sablepoots generally have a foot check every 2 weeks or less depending on weather so I am used to foot cleaning. If she doesn't do well with the flock she can be a resident of the baby flock pen so she won't be picked on.

Thanks for any advice or input. Xx

 

[chooks4life]

That does look most likely genetic. Looks like it might be okay though? Not 100% correct, but workable.

They sure are some long feathers on the legs and feet! I wouldn't trim them too much, I'd think the ones directly under the foot may be providing some needed padding for the bones of the toes against the abnormal usage. Well, even if you do trim them the chook will develop callus in the relevant areas, but hopefully not pressure sores.

I can't see the comb but the wattles look a little obvious there, might be a male at that rate.

Best wishes.

 

[Shabana]

Thanks so much for your advice and support.
I agree the feathers are a cushion at the mo I will prob only need to keep them clean of mud in wet weather.
He/ she is doing well. As long as there's quality of life I'm all for doing everything I can to help.
I hope for hens and try to accommodate as many cockerels as possible. I have seven at the moment so if he's a boy I will do my best for him.

Thank you again
Xx

 

[chooks4life]

Sounds like if it's a special needs chook, it's had good fortune in coming to live with you.

I have always found special needs animals more than worth the extra time and expense. I have a theory that they are particularly beneficial in imparting exceptional natures if bred, provided the issue isn't something that warrants them not being bred, or is something unlikely to be passed on or able to be easily bred out.

If they can't be bred, they often make exceptional foster parents, and if not that, they tend to exert a powerful influence in helping bring other chooks to trust you. They do learn quite a bit by watching others interact. And last but not least, they tend to make wonderful pets and be highly educational as well.

Best wishes to you and your chooks.

 

[Shabana]

I completely agree !!
I have a very large enclosure that I call my baby pen that is home to those under a year old and those that have special needs.

I have a maran that was attacked by a rat as a baby chick and suffered a very bad break. She limps very badly but never misses out on treats she lived in our house for at least 5 months, sharing the cats bed, watching TV etc and so she loves cuddles and because the youngsters see her it's not long before they feel they are missing out !!
She's bonded very closely to my other hens with difficulties. I believe they know and support each other, rather than the opposite.

As for the bond that is between me and my hens that I've really invested time in, well, in all cases it's amazing. Even in the chaps, there's a quiet respect and a gentleness.

Best wishes to you and your flock !

 

[chooks4life]

They do reckon some studies on chooks showed they're one of the few animals proven to be able to learn from watching others and develop/demonstrate empathy; I've seen it and many others have too. Their intelligence is often underestimated. They can be quite noble characters.

Best wishes to you and your flock too.