Chick Physical Therapy Sling

[Namaste Mama]

I have a little silky that I rescued from the feed store that had spraddle leg. After a week with a hobble she's only getting worse and now her joints are swollen so I had to come up with something else to try. So this is my little invention...

Its a nylon with holes cut in it with a hole for the head a hole for pooping and two for legs. I then took a broken dowel and taped to the top of the box and hung the chick in her sling from the rod. This way she can move back and forth to get her food and water and exercise those little legs. I don't know how it will work but I thought I would give it a shot.

 

[crtrlovr]

I hope your innovative sling works for your baby.

 

[Namaste Mama]

Thanks. I really hope it works. I'm flying blind here. I don't have the heart to cull her. DH says he'll just build a chicken wheelchair if she ends up not being able to walk. He thinks it will be easier to get her eggs, LOL.

 

[katrinag]

Good luck. Sure is a pretty little one.

 

[Bandana]

It would be neat if the dowel could roll along the top of the box. Reminds me of a toddler in a walker.

 

[austinhart123]

spraddle leg has to be treated immediatly. if it was at the feed store for awile chances are it has become irraversable. if so, you will probably have to cull the little one. i dont think it should take over a week for it to recover, i think hanging from that pole will be distressing and uncomfortable on the little chick, i think u should ask a professional wheat needs to be done

 

[cjeanean]

I love the innovative idea! I would give her something with a little more traction, like some rubber shelf liner. I got a chick with my MM order that had spraddle leg, and I didn't use tape or anything. I just put some shelf liner down and now u wouldn't even know she started life like that! It would be cool if the dowel rolled across the top of the bin, like if you could put a long screw through each end to keep it from sliding off and something to keep it from going over the edge. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[dlhunicorn]

I would also administer polyvisol enfamil (three drops in beak once a day for a week then taper off the next)
if you tie that sling to a ring (curtain ring or such) and then slide that over the rod then it can perhaps slide up and down the rod to allow the chick some movement?

 

[birdlover]

I noticed what looks like oatmeal in the box. Is she getting good old regular chick starter too? I had a baby cockatiel I tried that with. He never improved and got very frustrated as he got older. I had to have him put to sleep. It was sooo sad. Best of luck with yours.

 

[Namaste Mama]

Yes she is getting chick starter. I will see about getting the vitamins today, I've been doing vitamin E. Thats a good suggestion about the ring. I'm not leaving her in it all day, just for a few hours a day a 1/2 hour to an hour at a time. trying to build up her strength. She was only at the feed store for a few hours when I got her, she was delivered the same day.