Chick with badly twisted leg WARNING *Picture Heavy!

[dandkadams]

Could this be Slipped Achilles Tendon in Hock Joint?
I think this one is about 1-2 weeks old, just picked up a few days ago and trying to find information to help.

















Definitely causing some pain with too much movement so I have it in a small bin with a buddy and my baby quail.
Eating and drinking but spending enough time on it's belly to cause a mat of feathers.
No vet available.
What can I do to try and help?

 

[casportpony]

Have you seen this link:
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

-Kathy

 

[dandkadams]

I did read through it.
I believe that's what it might be.

Hoping to keep gently straightening the leg to stretch the tendon out.
Maybe then I can put it back or at least hope to straight splint to help growth and support.

 

[casportpony]

I did read through it.
I believe that's what it might be.

Hoping to keep gently straightening the leg to stretch the tendon out.
Maybe then I can put it back or at least hope to straight splint to help growth and support.

@Garden Peas has some good info on how to deal with slipped tendon.

-Kathy

 

[dandkadams]

Thanks I just didn't want the poor little fellow to be left behind alone to suffer.

 

[Garden Peas]

Hi @dandkadams , I can't tell from the photos exactly what is going on. There are three possibilities, and each one is different and needs different treatment.

Given the age of the chick, it could easily be either a splayed leg or a slipped tendon.

Look at this picture:



In this photo, you are looking at the back of the hock joint (the chick is lying face down, with its leg extended backwards -- see the bottom of the foot? The tendon that slips is the one that runs across the back of the hock joint (next to the human finger in the photo). In this photo, the tendon is in place in the groove, but there is a slight amount of swelling. (The tendon has been popped back in already.) If the tendon were out of place (slipped), the tendon (it's like a cord under the skin) would be displaced to the left -- the inside of the leg -- away from the finger tip. It actually slips out of the groove and can be felt under the skin if you feel the back of the hock joint. With the chick in this position, you can "pop" it sideways and back into place. (The trick is getting it to stay there.)

If the tendon is out of place (a slipped tendon), the chick may have the foot facing forward, but can't flex or extend the leg properly, and the leg won't support any weight. It's like a hinge with no resistance, the hock just closes up, but the chick can't make it extend.

A splayed leg is different. The hock tendon is still in place (maybe -- I just had a chick which splayed after the tendon slipped out, ouch) but the leg is rotated up in the joint ABOVE the hock, not at the hock joint itself. The leg may splay out to the side and will not stay in place when the chick tries to stand on it. A splayed leg is treated with a hobble to keep the leg from flopping outwards. The problem is more up in the hip rather than at the hock. The tendon still runs properly along the back of the hock in the groove, it's not displaced.

The third problem, twisted tibia, tends (I think) to occur in slightly older birds, at least in peafowl and turkeys. In twisted tibia, the bone itself twists and the leg rotates so that the toes of the foot no longer point forward. Typically the toes start going out to the outside, and over time, turn farther and farther off center, until the toes may even be pointing backwards rather than forwards. When you look at the bird's feet, the center toes should point forward, twelve noon if the bird were at the center of a clock dial. If one of the bird's center toes is turned to another number, then the leg may be twisted (or splayed) -- the difference is whether the bone itself is rotating, or whether the joint is not properly stable (splayed).

There is a fairly lengthy treatment which sometimes works in twisted tibia birds, but I just don't think it's too likely in this bird, as young as it is.

So the first thing you need to do is figure out whether it is SPLAYED LEG or SLIPPED TENDON. Turn it face down, put the leg behind it and check the hock joint. Take a photo from that angle. Check whether the hock joint is operating correctly or if it is collapsed. In the photos that you already posted, I'm kinda thinking it looks splayed rather than slipped, but I just can't tell from the ones that are on here.

I learned a better wrapping technique at the vet yesterday -- worked better than the splint that I tried a few days ago. I'll try to post photos tomorrow. Meantime, the podiatry page is good info.

Good luck!

 

[Garden Peas]

So were you able to figure out what is wrong with your chick? Is it a splayed leg or a slipped tendon?

If it is actually a slipped tendon, there's information on the peachick I'm currently treating here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1092979/peachick-with-slipped-tendon

There's also info on the website Kathy gave you.

If it's a splayed leg, you will need to hobble rather than splint -- that poultry podiatry page has good info. You can also search BYC for splayed or spraddle legs and find lots of photos of chick hobbles (and chick chairs, too!).

Hope this helps.
GP

 

[krysvollmer]

My 3 1/2 week old chick was fine when I checked on them this afternoon, this evening ahead walking with a twisted leg. When she stand still and puts weight on it it just twist untilher toes are behind her.. any suggestions? I don't believe it's spraddle leg as I tried binding her and bracing between the feet under the knee, and it still twisted behind her.

 

[Garden Peas]

My 3 1/2 week old chick was fine when I checked on them this afternoon, this evening ahead walking with a twisted leg. When she stand still and puts weight on it it just twist untilher toes are behind her.. any suggestions? I don't believe it's spraddle leg as I tried binding her and bracing between the feet under the knee, and it still twisted behind her.

Oh dear. It sounds like it could be a twisted tibia or perhaps a slipped tendon. Can you take close up photos of her leg and the position? Maybe from different angles? That may help us figure out what's going on. So sorry!

Wish it were better circumstances, but welcome to the peafowl forum!

We'll do what we can to help!

 

[krysvollmer]

Oh dear.  It sounds like it could be a twisted tibia or perhaps a slipped tendon.  Can you take close up photos of her leg and the position?  Maybe from different angles?  That may help us figure out what's going on.  So sorry!

Wish it were better circumstances, but welcome to the peafowl forum!    We'll do what we can to help!

This was the best I could get! She is still pretty wiggly!