Chick With Slipped Tendon

[skullgrrrl]

I have a 2 wk old chick with a slipped tendon - I don't know how long it's been that way.

She holds her leg up in a bent position and the lower leg, from the knee down, is rotated outward. She can't grasp with her toes and hops on the outside of her foot.

I started doing physio with her today - to stretch the tendon before trying to reposition it. I can feel the tendon rolling just a bit.

There is a big hard lump on the inside of her knee which I think is the head of the tibia/fibula which have rotated.

I worked on her for an hour, slowly manipulating her leg and she slept through it all. I can't straighten the leg but it is getting a bit better.

Any suggestions for anything else I can do?

Anyone try to fix a slipped tendon at this age/stage? Any success stories?

 

[Brookep2000]

I would suggest trying to fix it into place and then put something around it to keep it in place and try to keep her from walking until you know it grew back in the right place. Im from Louisiana so that's our way of keeping someone in shape until we can make it to hospital and it always works.

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks more like a leg bone deformity, possibly varus or valgus deformity. Usually there is no treatment. The hen below has that—varus, in the right leg.Here is some reading:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers

 

[Eggcessive]

This chicken has valgus deformity in the right leg:

 

[skullgrrrl]

It looks more like a leg bone deformity, possibly varus or valgus deformity. Usually there is no treatment. The hen below has that—varus, in the right leg.Here is some reading:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers
View attachment 1825169

She's not a broiler or heavy breed, just two weeks old. I can feel the tendon slipped off to the side which is causing her lower leg to rotate from the knee joint.

 

[skullgrrrl]

I would suggest trying to fix it into place and then put something around it to keep it in place and try to keep her from walking until you know it grew back in the right place. Im from Louisiana so that's our way of keeping someone in shape until we can make it to hospital and it always works.

The only way to fix her leg is to correct the slipped tendon, otherwise her leg will be permanently rotated.

 

[karenerwin]

Good luck! I had a chick a few years back with a slipped tendon. I tried many things but ultimately had to put it down. I was able to slip the tendon back in place, but I could not get it to stay there. I tried multiple things to cast the leg and hold it stable but I was not successful. I hope you have better luck!

 

[skullgrrrl]

Good luck! I had a chick a few years back with a slipped tendon. I tried many things but ultimately had to put it down. I was able to slip the tendon back in place, but I could not get it to stay there. I tried multiple things to cast the leg and hold it stable but I was not successful. I hope you have better luck!

How hard was it to get the tendon back into place?

The chick is approaching 3 wks - I don't know how long she's had the slipped tendon. I'm doing physio with her nightly and I'm able to get the leg to straighten more. I'm trying to build her muscles and stretch the tendon. I can feel the tendon roll if I push it, but think it will take some force to move it into place. The chick is a very compliant patient but squeaks when I press on the tendon at her knee.

Is this like a dislocated shoulder where some force and pain is required to make things right? Without the tendon going back into place the leg will always be rotated and get worse as she gets older.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's not a broiler or heavy breed, just two weeks old. I can feel the tendon slipped off to the side which is causing her lower leg to rotate from the knee joint.

The only way to fix her leg is to correct the slipped tendon, otherwise her leg will be permanently rotated.

How hard was it to get the tendon back into place?

The chick is approaching 3 wks - I don't know how long she's had the slipped tendon. I'm doing physio with her nightly and I'm able to get the leg to straighten more. I'm trying to build her muscles and stretch the tendon. I can feel the tendon roll if I push it, but think it will take some force to move it into place. The chick is a very compliant patient but squeaks when I press on the tendon at her knee.

Is this like a dislocated shoulder where some force and pain is required to make things right? Without the tendon going back into place the leg will always be rotated and get worse as she gets older.

There is a big hard lump on the inside of her knee which I think is the head of the tibia/fibula which have rotated.

A chicken does not have to be a broiler to have a leg bone deformity.
If it's slipped tendon, it can be hard to fix. Hopefully you are able to help her.
You will have to get it back in place, then splint ithttps://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/peachick-with-slipped-tendon.1092979/

Reference rotated tibia/Valgus variation https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../noninfectious-skeletal-disorders-in-broilers

 

[karenerwin]

How hard was it to get the tendon back into place?

The chick is approaching 3 wks - I don't know how long she's had the slipped tendon. I'm doing physio with her nightly and I'm able to get the leg to straighten more. I'm trying to build her muscles and stretch the tendon. I can feel the tendon roll if I push it, but think it will take some force to move it into place. The chick is a very compliant patient but squeaks when I press on the tendon at her knee.

Is this like a dislocated shoulder where some force and pain is required to make things right? Without the tendon going back into place the leg will always be rotated and get worse as she gets older.

If I remember correctly, it doesn't seem like it was too hard to get it in place. The trouble was trying to get it to stay there! And splinting the leg in a manner that would hold up. The chick could get around fine but when I removed the splint or it managed to remove the splint it just went right back out. I think I left it splinted for 3 days. Then a week. Then 2 weeks. I don't think I left it splinted for longer than that, but it was several years ago. I know I found either an article or a thread about it on BYC and that is how I figured out what to try.
Good Luck!