Chick walking on back of knees PIC!

[NancyinAlaska]

I got a pic of it this time.
As I said before, these are chicks that hatched Sunday night, and Monday, which was early, Sunday was 19 days. 4 are doing this. They are black sex-linked chicks, females OF COURSE! DOUBLE DARN-IT!!!!!! One has damaged the skin down to the bone, I make a chick chair for her, and just put another in one. I know I should cull, but can't bring myself to do it.
They cannot stand up, and are walking, scooting on the backs of their knees. As you can see in the pic, this is how they sit, on their hocks and butt, feet up in the air.
They have been on water with electrolytes and vitamins and minerals, and medicated chick starter.
Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I'd love to know what to call it, and if I can prevent something like this from happening in the future.............
THANKS AHEAD OF TIME!

 

[paddock36]

I had a chick that this happened to when it accidentally got wet and cold from the water bottle soaking the wood shavings. Once the chick dried out it's legs were like that and it steadily got worse no matter what I tried. My DH culled it for me when I couldn't bear to see it suffer any longer. Maybe someone else can come up with an idea for you.

 

[Tiramisu]

Were they like that when they hatched or fine and then went like that??
If at hatch they are deformed, I don't know what is wrong, probably will need to cull.

 

[PoultryPeeps]

Hi Nancy,
I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question. But I certainly feel for you!

I'm thinking maybe with a little time and TLC they will be able to gain the strength in their legs to stand. I was reading your BYC page and I just got an order of chicks from MurrayMcMurray also. They had a rough trip and 3 were DOA, I lost another 4 in the next two days, and I may still lose one or two more. It is soooo hard to lose them. McMurray is replacing them and the new ones should arrive Monday. Hope they are in better shape. Anyway, hang in there!

Good to see one more Alaska chicken-lover out there!

 

[BetsyOK]

If this is an Achilles tendon problem from an injury, you have a chance to repair it. If it is a deformity of the groove that holds the tendon, there is no cure. It's good that you've put them in a chick chair, as that will keep swelling down. I doubt you can get the tendon in place if the joint is swollen. I've learned a quicker way to repair a sipped Achilles tendon than using he chick chair. You check to see if that's the problem first. Gently but firmly hold the joint between your thumb and index finger and roll it back and forth. If you can feel the tendon popping in and out of place, it is an Achilles tendon problem and there's a chance you can repair it.

I take a VERY narrow strip of DUCT TAPE, put the tendon in place and wrap the tape around and around on itself in the middle of the joint. Keep it narrow. If you do this properly, the chick can use the leg normally and doesn't even need to be isolated. I did this the first time in desparation, after working with a guinea keet in a chick chair for nearly two weeks. That was very intensive; you can imagine getting feed and water to it all that time, as well as increasing the size of the chair to accommodate growth. I worried that the duct tape would injure the skin, but that wasn't the case. After only a few days, the tape loosened itself, and the tendon stayed in place. I've also done this with a couple of silkie chicks, and several friends have used this method to repair Achilles tendons on their keets and chicks. I did have to repeat it once on one of the silkie chicks.

If this is an Achilles tendon problem and it isn't/cannot be repaired, the joints will freeze in that position permanently.

Good luck.

 

[Jessicamichelle91]

I took a piece of small medical wrap or vet wrap and wrapped it around my chicks knee loose enough to where it does not cut circulation off. But wrap it around the knee to straighten the leg and place the chick in a shot glass or cup of some sort so it has to stand. Keep it in there for 12-24 hours. And after that take the wrap off and the chick will be able to stand straight. It’ll be very wobbly until it finds balance again. But my power went out and my incubator didn’t have heat for a few hours I have 6 bantams that were like that. And they all healed with this method. Hope it helps.

 

[bougraisse]

I took a piece of small medical wrap or vet wrap and wrapped it around my chicks knee loose enough to where it does not cut circulation off. But wrap it around the knee to straighten the leg and place the chick in a shot glass or cup of some sort so it has to stand. Keep it in there for 12-24 hours. And after that take the wrap off and the chick will be able to stand straight. It’ll be very wobbly until it finds balance again. But my power went out and my incubator didn’t have heat for a few hours I have 6 bantams that were like that. And they all healed with this method. Hope it helps.

Can you be more specific...
We just got a baby like that and we are trying to save him
So... I straighten the legs (unbend the knees) but putting him in the glass... not sure I get the idea... so his bum doesn’t fit but his feet touches the bottom?
Any pictures?
thanks