Chicken Leg - Won't stand on it. What more can I do????

[karmlacres]

I have a week old chick. It hatched naturally (as opposed to with assistance). From the get-go, I noticed a leg/foot problem and treated it as if it at spraddle leg. I went with the band-aid method by taping its legs together. I also had it in a narrow chute to give it support. It has escaped the chute (a 1x4 board against the side of the brooder), so I left it with the general population (3 hatch-mates). It is considerably smaller but seems to be otherwise healthy. This particular one came from a Marans, the other 3 came from an Ameraucana.

The chicks hops around and is standing up which it really wasn't doing in the early days. But my concern is that the chick is still holding the one leg out to the side, toes look flexed and just hops on one foot. I can't imagine it having a good life if it has to hop on one foot. I want to be able to help it.

What more can I do for it?

 

[karmlacres]

Wow. I'm amazed. No responses? Is there nothing more I can do for this chick? Its still walking around with its foot flexed and the leg out to the side. Hopping around on one foot to get around. It is making its way to food and water. I can't imagine it having much of a life with just one leg!

 

[kidcody]

The only problem is by it not using that leg atrophy sets in, does it respond when you gently squeeze its foot? Sometimes even if they are starting to use there leg/foot it can get better. But if its not using its leg/foot at all it doesn't look promising. Does it bear any weight on its leg at all? I'm trying to help you and maybe others will jump in.

 

[Buffygirl]

Your bird most likely has splay leg (or spraddle leg), which is very common. I have healed three chickens that have had splay leg. For a chick you can use a band aid to make a hobble. If the bird is full grown, you can use a popsicle stick to make the bird stand straight. Another way is to just keep them isolated for a long, long time trying to help them walk, but that is much harder.


I hope to be great poultry vet some day... Hope I can help!

 

[karmlacres]

It has something to say about me touching its leg at the hip. I am sure it is NOT using the leg. If the other chicks knock it over or cause it to become imbalanced, it seems quite perturbed. I'll put another band-aid on and also try to do a better job of confining it. It has proven to get over a 1x4 standing on its edge. So it cleared a 3.75" barrier. The other chicks hop into the "corral" but I don't see that much as a problem. But even when the chick is in isolation, I see the leg sticking to the side. I'm wondering if I get some medical gauze and do more of a full body wrap to bring the leg in at the hip while the band-aid is around its legs. I've successfully treated a duck before. I don't know what is up with this one such that I can't get it to walk. I'll try holding it and massaging the hip area and see if its a dislocated leg kind of thing. Although, I know nothing about dislocations.

 

[macdoogle2]

I had 2 Marans chicks that had the same problem. I tried the cup method. I used a tea cup that was narrower at the bottom. They would, of course, hop right out at times, but I would also find them staying put for a while. I also exercised their leg by pushing on the foot and making their hip and knee bent. They got better.

 

[teutschb]

Try to give it therapy.