Chick Slipped Tendon? Pictures.

[CuckooOrpington]

I think she has sprained her leg. Usually when this happens the chick will heal by itself if left in a smaller brooder with soluble vitamins. But if she is holding her leg out to the side you will need a splint, for adult birds a piece of hose is ideal if they've broken their leg, however, chicks are too small. An easy way to hold her legs in place while she heals is to use medical tape. You simply put tape on the injured (just above the foot) leg and stick the other end to the good leg so that there is the normal amount of space between her legs (we do this with splay leg chicks). She will have trouble standing at first but will get up eventually. It is best to take this chick to a vet for an effective recovery. I hope your little one improves.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Ive heard of people having luck with a popscicle stick break it to size then wrap it to the chicks leg
to stablize that leg / foot

 

[kekstrom]

I suspect that she slipped. I had leg problems with baby chicks several times until I figured out that they need a surface with friction to keep from slipping, spraining and permanently laming themselves.
I use very old towels for the first 3-4 weeks in the brooder. I change them, initially, every two days, and then, before I go to straight bedding, I change them daily. If you have ANY slick surface, you WILL have more lame birds.
Fix the footing, and use bandaids, like for your fingers, as splints, if you do anything at all. I hope this helps you.

The only thing we can come up with is when we have been taking them outside for a couple hours during the heat of the day, the tote I use is slick... otherwise they're brooder and all their little homes and field trips have been on safe surfaces. It breaks my heart that perhaps she was injured while inside the tote...

Will be putting a towel down on the bottom from now on. And we'll still be splinting/bracing her leg with vet wrap... She still has a lot of fight in her. And has become quite the little one-legged-hopper.

 

[kekstrom]

Are you in Calif? Los Angeles County? I can recommend a vet that sees my chickens all the time. Cheaper than an avian vet.

Oregon.... Klamath County.

 

[kekstrom]

I think she has sprained her leg. Usually when this happens the chick will heal by itself if left in a smaller brooder with soluble vitamins. But if she is holding her leg out to the side you will need a splint, for adult birds a piece of hose is ideal if they've broken their leg, however, chicks are too small. An easy way to hold her legs in place while she heals is to use medical tape. You simply put tape on the injured (just above the foot) leg and stick the other end to the good leg so that there is the normal amount of space between her legs (we do this with splay leg chicks). She will have trouble standing at first but will get up eventually. It is best to take this chick to a vet for an effective recovery. I hope your little one improves.

Okay so the pics of people who do this with, say, a rubber band? Am I envisioning this right? I will have to definitely move her into a smaller brooder in that case... and keep her like that for a day? Two days? I am willing to do give it a try for sure!

I just am very confused because I am somehow picturing that her leg needs to be kept straight... and not sure how she could move around if it was. Today when I had it wrapped she just layed around, miserable looking. Since I have unwrapped it and placed her back with her buddies for the night. She settles down and snuggles up to them right away.

 

[kekstrom]

Ive heard of people having luck with a popscicle stick break it to size then wrap it to the chicks leg
to stablize that leg / foot

Gramma Chick... So basically at her "knee" I would be attaching it to the stick (say with vet wrap?)... and she'll have to hobble around with her leg straightened out? This won't do anymore damage?

 

[CuckooOrpington]

Okay so the pics of people who do this with, say, a rubber band? Am I envisioning this right? I will have to definitely move her into a smaller brooder in that case... and keep her like that for a day? Two days? I am willing to do give it a try for sure!

I just am very confused because I am somehow picturing that her leg needs to be kept straight... and not sure how she could move around if it was. Today when I had it wrapped she just layed around, miserable looking. Since I have unwrapped it and placed her back with her buddies for the night. She settles down and snuggles up to them right away.

The smaller brooder could be a pet carrier or a box, the purpose of this is to keep her away from other chicks and to make her access to food and water easier. It's best to keep her there until she has healed. If she is lonely you can put one of your youngest, smallest chicks in with her. I find that other chicks peck at anything red, especially injuries. It is likely that she is only holding her leg up because it hurts, not because she physically can't move her knee (but that is just my opinion). You could try splinting it with a bit of wood or foam, but I have tried this with hock leg chicks and the results were unsuccessful. Hock leg chicks physically can't hold their leg down (some chicks are born that way by chance), but your bantam probably can.

I wouldn't worry about the splint as chicks are very hard to splint and still be able to walk, their legs are so fragile. The fact that she is holding her leg to the side is a problem though. I will post tomorrow about the medical tape technique, it's too dark to get pics now.

 

[pineapple416]

An avian vet could probably see chickens too, since avian vets treat birds, like parrots or budgerigars.

 

[Lozuufy]

Here are some links that I have compiled on leg/foot problems, not sure if any of these would be helpful but will post just in case
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/links-for-information-on-foot-leg-problems-in-poultry

 

[mymilliefleur]

Sorry to hear about your chick! I'm currently dealing with a 4 week old RIR cockerel with a slipped tendon that may have to be culled soon.

You might find this article of help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/treating-a-chick-with-a-slipped-tendon-one-chick-s-story