Chick with leg stick out wrong way.

[GirlyCM]

Hi I am completely new to this and trying to look after the chicks my class hatched.
I noticed yesterday that one of the chicks legs was pointing outwards rather that forwards. This was a change. The chick is 5 days old. It is moveing with a hobble but able to get around to the food and water. It does look lower on one side when it stands.

Is there anything I can do to help or should i let it heal on its own?

Thank you for any help.

 

[Adirondack poultrykeeper2]

Hey, your humidity must have been too high, or too low, and it formed the wrong way.

Best Wishes!

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't use the hobble unless the legs are more than 1 1/4 inches apart. To me, it looks like a leg bone deformity is more of a problem. those include various values deformity and TD or tibial dyschondroplasia. Valgus causes a knock kneed appearance, and various is a bow legged appearance. Either can affect only one leg or both. Some may refer to it as a slipped tendon, but that is not an accurate term. I would Google "leg bone deformities in poultry" for some explanation of what might be going on. Also Google virus valves deformity in chickens. The Poultry Site has some pictures of what it looks like. There is no treatment that helps, since it is a deformity caused by mineral deficiency in parents or heredity.

 

[GirlyCM]

Hi

Thanks for your thoughts. This is a change from when the chick was first hatched. Is it something that can get worse as they grow or could it have pulled its leg and hurt it? The picture is of two days before.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there any redness or swelling in the hock joint? Deformities can worsen with age, sometimes causing a rupture of the hock tendon. However, I am not a vet, and I would certainly try treating it for an injury. There are numerous articles about "fixing a slipped tendon in a chick," if you Google that. Look for chickenheavenonearth and poultrypedia links and click on them.

 

[GirlyCM]

Is there any redness or swelling in the hock joint? Deformities can worsen with age, sometimes causing a rupture of the hock tendon. However, I am not a vet, and I would certainly try treating it for an injury. There are numerous articles about "fixing a slipped tendon in a chick," if you Google that. Look for chickenheavenonearth and poultrypedia links and click on them.

I have just had a look and there is redness and swelling around the hock joint. I will do further reading too. Thank you

 

[Birdinhand]

if it's not from a trauma, it could be a joint problem due to being under a heat lamp. there are some interesting studies that suggest a heat plate/MHP allows them to sleep deeply at night without a light on, which tends to improve joint formation.

 

[GirlyCM]

if it's not from a trauma, it could be a joint problem due to being under a heat lamp. there are some interesting studies that suggest a heat plate/MHP allows them to sleep deeply at night without a light on, which tends to improve joint formation.

I am learning so much. I have a heat plate and all lights go off at night so hopefully, it might help it mend.

 

[Eggcessive]

Redness and swelling around the hock joint are typical with slipped tendons. You can put a little plain neosporin ointment on it. Let us know how things are going.

 

[Paula 53]

Hey, your humidity must have been too high, or too low, and it formed the wrong way.

Best Wishes!

Hi I have a 14 day o

if it's not from a trauma, it could be a joint problem due to being under a heat lamp. there are some interesting studies that suggest a heat plate/MHP allows them to sleep deeply at night without a light on, which tends to improve joint formation.

hi I have a 14 day old chic that has the same problem we have had it hobbled for about 4 days but not doing much good it’s knee joint seems to pull the leg right out to far the chic is eating and drinking uses it’s wings a lot to get about it’s seems happy enough paula