Chick with slipped achilles’ tendons - attempting to treat

[Slothinc]

I found out 48 hours after hatch that my naked neck silkie baby was not just splay legged, but had slipped achilles’ tendons in both legs. I feel absolutely horrible for not recognizing it sooner but i thought it was just severe splay legs and I had been doing everything to treat the splay legs (braces, PT, etc.) She wasn’t making any progress and was laying down all the time with her head towards the ground and bum in the air.

It has been torturous to think about what I put this chick through. As soon as further research lead me to reading about slipped tendons, I fashioned her a chick chair and have vet wrapped her legs straight.

She doesn’t like the chick chair and is constantly peeping and trying to get out. Does anyone have any experience with chicks in chick chairs? How often should I take her out and re wrap her legs? It’s been almost 12 hours of her being in the chair and wrapped. She seems to have a lot of fight in her, with how hard she is struggling to get out of the chair. I gave her some B vitamins in water last night. Any advice or experiences shared would be awesome.

Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Maybe this will help?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-caring-for-the-special-needs-chick.72163/

 

[Slothinc]

Thank you, yes I read that thread last night to help make the chick chair!

Update for today: I unwrapped her legs and took her out of the chick chair. She is now able to stand (for the first time in her life) though her legs are very straight and upright due to them being straightened in the chick chair. I am making sure she eats and drinks every few hours and I put a buddy in with her. She seems to be happier. I really hope she can make it past all of this. I only had her in the chick chair and taped for 14 hours or so. I will probably put a brace on her legs later today or maybe place her back in the chick chair overnight.

 

[Slothinc]

Oh here is a pic with her buddy (she’s on the right)

 

[Slothinc]

Well just in case anyone ever reads this in the future and is wondering, my chick is amazingly seemingly recovered. She’s back in with the other babies and running around. I can’t even believe my eyes. She couldn’t stand or walk for the first 2.5 days of her life and now you can barely tell. It was extremely difficult - took a ton of effort and emotionally draining. Yesterday I had her in a vet wrap brace for about half of the day, did more PT in a cup in the evening (with a paper towel cushion and wood shavings) and left her in the leg braces overnight. In the morning I took them off and put her and her friend back with all the others and everything worked out fine. I haven’t seen her drinking from the waterer yet so I hope she has/will figure that out (I had been using a syringe to water her.) I am so thrilled that it looks like she is going to be okay!

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

So glad she is doing better! Those pictures are adorable!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well just in case anyone ever reads this in the future and is wondering, my chick is amazingly seemingly recovered. She’s back in with the other babies and running around. I can’t even believe my eyes. She couldn’t stand or walk for the first 2.5 days of her life and now you can barely tell. It was extremely difficult - took a ton of effort and emotionally draining. Yesterday I had her in a vet wrap brace for about half of the day, did more PT in a cup in the evening (with a paper towel cushion and wood shavings) and left her in the leg braces overnight. In the morning I took them off and put her and her friend back with all the others and everything worked out fine. I haven’t seen her drinking from the waterer yet so I hope she has/will figure that out (I had been using a syringe to water her.) I am so thrilled that it looks like she is going to be okay!

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Wonderful news!
Thank you for the update and information!

I'm glad that she is doing well, she sure is adorable!