Advice on Splinting 4 Week Old Chick

[NottinghamChicks]

I have an EE Cochin chick who free ranges with mom. It seems to have a broken leg.(Happened Sunday eve at around 5pm) I checked it over and there is no swelling and where the leg meets the body seems ok. It seems to be "Floppy" where the shin meets the knee. (probably not great chicken terminology, lol!) It will put pressure on ithe leg and stand on it except when it runs after the others. It will lay and rest often as long as mom stays within 10 feet. I tried seperating her from mom in a little crate with her hatch mate but they all were so crazy and it seemed to get worse.

Should I make a splint and secure it behind the foot and up to the back of the "knee". Or should I just let it be? It really is not stressed and is eating and drinking ok. I did put electrolytes in the water just in case however. I'm sure that there is some pain and although I am not positive it is broken I think a splint could help. Can't hurt, right?

 

[kidcody]

Yes, you need to try to put a splint on the leg. Just like if a finger was broke. I would try to crate her by her self for a few days (maybe have her friends right next to her) you don't want her paceing back and forth. Legs on chickens heal real fast. I'm sure she is in a lot of pain but she just doesn't show it (survival instinct). I'm sure others will have some suggestions to help you. I hope she gets better soon

 

[greenegglover]

Pic below is from this website: https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, I had the exact same thing happen to one of my incubated chicks. 4 weeks old and broke her leg! I seperated her and put her in a small crate as I didn't want her to do more damage. I tried splinting for the first couple of weeks but it was difficult due to her size! In the end we just wraped a lot of bandage around the leg and knee joint where we think it was broken and it healed fine. She has a bit of a limp and still looks like she's 8 weeks old even though she's 6 months old now but perfectly healthy and happy! it took about 8 weeks before she could really start walking again but well worth doing. good luck with yours and I'm sure he/she will soon be on the road to recovery.

 

[RHRanch]

Check out the link at the bottom of the page for the link above - some good descriptions of bandaging. http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa/16.pdf

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Thanks for the relplies. Last night my husband and I put a splint on her foot and leg. This morning she was stressed and the hens started picking on her and mom was not protecting her so I put her in a crate in the three season room with a mirror and she is calm. I will give her some time and see how she heals. If course I went and picked a favorite again and this is what happens!

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Typical that happens! My favorite (one of my first hatched chicks) died at 12 weeks from what we believe was kidney failure absolutely gutted so I have decided not to pick favorites anymore!! Anyway by the sounds of it your chick will be fine an in the meantime getting lots of TLC

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Ok, so I brought her to the vet just for a look when I brought one of my dogs for his rabies. She told me where the injury was and how to splint it. I did that and it seemed ok, until, the other foot start to curl in and deform. I have it drinking Save a Chick and so I know it is not a deficiency so now I don't know what to do or think. It just sits on the floor looking at itself in a morror happily eating and drinking. I go and "exercise" it four times a day, repositioning its feet and toes and trying to get it to build it's muscles back up. I want to cull it but no one will help me. I cannot possibly hold it and do the deed by meself. I have heard about the broom method, but is that done easily with a five week old chick? I have visions of pulling a leg off the poor little thing. I need to cull as I do not have the ability to take care of a "Special" chicken. Think what you might, but my chickens are well loved, well cared for, and live in a coop. I grew up on a farm and went to Agricultural school but many many years later I just need some emotional support on this decision on a bird that just was not meant to be.