Baby with Leg Problem?

[ReseisCL16]

My two and a half weeks old squab has one leg that splays awkwardly out to the side. He has a very hard time walking on it because it slips outwards, but manages just fine in the nest. He's gotten his fair share of crop milk and is bigger than his nestmate, but I'm concerned about how he will fare when his parents stop feeding him. Will he be okay on just one leg? My initial hope was to use him in my breeding program, but does this leg problem sound like a hip deformity? If that is the case, should I keep him out of the program? Thank you for any help!

 

[Kiki]

Can you get a few clear pictures of how he is standing on his legs?

 

[Anime2lover]

It could be splayed leg. But only pics could really show us what your talking about.

 

[biophiliac]

My two and a half weeks old squab has one leg that splays awkwardly out to the side. He has a very hard time walking on it because it slips outwards, but manages just fine in the nest. He's gotten his fair share of crop milk and is bigger than his nestmate, but I'm concerned about how he will fare when his parents stop feeding him. Will he be okay on just one leg? My initial hope was to use him in my breeding program, but does this leg problem sound like a hip deformity? If that is the case, should I keep him out of the program? Thank you for any help!

Key to success in correcting splayed leg is to treat it early! Connect the legs with a handcuff like approach... (Not the best vid but gives the idea)

Do it now. Good luck!

 

[Hokum Coco]

Will he be okay on just one leg? My initial hope was to use him in my breeding program, but does this leg problem sound like a hip deformity? If that is the case, should I keep him out of the program? Thank you for any help!

There are two schools of though on the condition called spayed leg. One school is that it is genetic do to inbreeding; The other is that the bedding did not provide enough traction while the squab was developing.

I treat the problem with two zip ties and a small elastic. The zip ties are threaded through the elastic before they are secured on the pigeons legs so they will not slip off. It caught in time it can solve the problem.

I would try this method on your squab.
Personally I think you may have missed the window to treat it.
A lot of BYC members will disagree with me.
However if it does not show any improvement in 3+- weeks I would cull the bird.

In some cases the handcuffs are kept on for life.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Can you get a few clear pictures of how he is standing on his legs?

Key to success in correcting splayed leg is to treat it early! Connect the legs with a handcuff like approach... (Not the best vid but gives the idea)

Do it now. Good luck!

There are two schools of though on the condition called spayed leg. One school is that it is genetic do to inbreeding; The other is that the bedding did not provide enough traction while the squab was developing.

I treat the problem with two zip ties and a small elastic. The zip ties are threaded through the elastic before they are secured on the pigeons legs so they will not slip off. It caught in time it can solve the problem.

I would try this method on your squab.
Personally I think you may have missed the window to treat it.
A lot of BYC members will disagree with me.
However if it does not show any improvement in 3+- weeks I would cull the bird.

In some cases the handcuffs are kept on for life.

good advice every one. I agree with all said. Pics would be nice.

 

[ReseisCL16]

Okay, thank you all for the advice. Here's a pic:

You can see how his leg is splayed out almost horizontal. I'm definitely not a fan of culling, so hopefully it's only splayed leg that can be corrected. But it seems to me that it may be a deformity in the hip joint, and in that case, he's definitely not going into my breeding program! Does this look like splayed leg to all of you? He can't really use this leg very well and drags it around when he walks.

 

[Qwerty3159]

I don't have experience with this issue but I do know that when the squab is growing is the best/only time to fix splayed leg.
It could be a deformity or something else but if I were you I'd try using that handcuff/shackle method immediately.

 

[Anime2lover]

It's worth a shot to try the shackle. Cause then tou can say that at least you tried.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Okay, thank you all for the advice. Here's a pic:

View attachment 1915300

You can see how his leg is splayed out almost horizontal. I'm definitely not a fan of culling, so hopefully it's only splayed leg that can be corrected. But it seems to me that it may be a deformity in the hip joint, and in that case, he's definitely not going into my breeding program! Does this look like splayed leg to all of you? He can't really use this leg very well and drags it around when he walks.

if I had to guess, I would say you waited too long... but still try to treat it as of it were splayed leg. If it were a hip deformity, while it was day old it would show the same signs. So it must be splayed leg.