Chick with severe leg issues

[Kattnchick]

Yes, they worm their way right into our hearts, especially when they need special care. As an adult, the good leg ended up bowing way out while the broken leg looks relatively normal but doesn't have the best range of motion. One of these days I'll remember to take a picture.

Thankfully, he's almost bantam sized, so there's not a huge amount of weight to support now that he's matured. This was weeks into the healing process - that big scab above the hock was 3/4 the way around the leg with no skin. The worst part was up higher in the thigh/hip --- so once the skin and bone in the 'drumstick' allowed it, I used vetwrap to tape his upper leg against his body and he started jumping around almost immediately. Quite the process!

I wish I'd seen your awesome sling back then!

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Wow! What a recovery. Great job nursing him. Hopefully you won’t need to make a sling/swing anytime soon but I’m happy to offer advice if you ever do. I’m still shocked it worked.

 

[jolenesdad]

For those who need B2 riboflavin for curled under toes, Poultry Cell does have it, and human B complex contains most of the B vitamins including riboflavin, and it can be grated or crushed into food.

Thank you, I think I'll run into town this evening and grab some so I can put it in water at the right dosage and make sure she is getting what she needs.

Pics and hopeful video to come today!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

My chick was born the same. Now at just about three weeks old she is getting around really well on one leg. The other cannot straighten out at all but she hold it across her chest and uses her knee to catch her balance. She’s a strong hopper and uses her wings a lot to balance and when she wants to move quickly. I made a swing for her to strengthen the good leg more easily and she only really needed it for a couple days before she started getting around on her own. She was the same as your chick as she was always healthy and strong otherwise. So far she’s thriving. Keep working with her and she’ll figure out how to use her body the way it is.

Wow! That’s an amazing swing that you made your chick - ingenious!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'm looking for any advice, links, information anyone has on working with a chick with a leg issue.

Hatched on sep 9, two weeks ago. Three days in transit after being lost in the mail. This chick and one other presented with splay leg issues. I separated them both and splinted them and their curled toes. Lost one after a day.

This chick has progressively improved day by day, but not the leg.

She spent the first two weeks fairly weak, but started standing and moving after about 10 days, right when I thought it best to give up. She has never acted distressed... She is constantly alert and eating, drinking, and pooping. The last two days each day she has eaten more than all previous days combined.

I would say she is drastically improving in the last few days, however, her leg is not. How do I know if I am dealing with a broken hip or something that I am prolonging an awful existence? Would she exhibit any pain symptoms now?

I started this out thinking splay leg, no problem, then continued with curiosity and to learn, but now am very confused. I wouldn't normally work this hard, and, I'm okay with culling. But something keeps tugging at me with this chick and its spirit. But will she / could she ever walk?

For those who will work with a weak chick, how do you determine when the chick has a poor quality of life?

Sorry that your chick still has leg issues!

 

[jolenesdad]

Photos and gifs

if these gifs aren’t clear enough I will make a video tonight!

she is on vitamin b now. Very alert and eating lots and lots. (I just sit her in a tub of chick starter until she fills up... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

she is really getting around the entire brooder that is 12 sf by learning to use one leg. I removed the splint because today it seemed like it was holding her back she kept trying to raise the weak leg.

her left leg is fine it’s her right leg. You can see in the splint and after I removed it that she tries to keep that foot off the ground.

gifs to show how she moves.

she can move the leg but cannot bear weight on it. It no longer splays to the side.

Thoughts on where to go from here?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Photos and gifs

if these gifs aren’t clear enough I will make a video tonight!

she is on vitamin b now. Very alert and eating lots and lots. (I just sit her in a tub of chick starter until she fills up... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

she is really getting around the entire brooder that is 12 sf by learning to use one leg. I removed the splint because today it seemed like it was holding her back she kept trying to raise the weak leg.

her left leg is fine it’s her right leg. You can see in the splint and after I removed it that she tries to keep that foot off the ground.

gifs to show how she moves.

she can move the leg but cannot bear weight on it. It no longer splays to the side.

Thoughts on where to go from here?

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She is at least able to bear some weight on it... Did you figure out if it’s spraddle (splay) leg or perosis or something else? If I had to pick between the two it would be perosis...

 

[jolenesdad]

She is at least able to bear some weight on it... Did you figure out if it’s spraddle (splay) leg or perosis or something else? If I had to pick between the two it would be perosis...

I have no idea... i've never dealt with leg issues other a couple of splay legs in the 200+ chicks I've had this year!

What I will say is it is getting better. It doesn't hang out anymore to the side, it's not paralyzed for sure, and she isn't falling over to the side non stop anymore, she constantly sits upright and even stands now to eat and drink.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm dealing with my first leg issue as well but my little wonky leg chick and I are rooting for you!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'm dealing with my first leg issue as well but my little wonky leg chick and I are rooting for you!

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Awww, how’s your tough little baby doing, CluckNDoodle??? And whatever happened with the broody hen?

 

[aart]

if these gifs aren’t clear enough I will make a video tonight!

I find the GIF's to be too jerky, and short, to really see what's going on.
Maybe it's just me?<shrugs>