Crooked Leg on 4 week old Chick~Need Advice!!

[macdoogle2]

Do not blame your 5 year old. No way he did this. I also have a 4 week old chick with the same problem and no young child. Sometimes chicks have a bad leg.

 

[DuckyLou]

Hello Jive Turkey,

This happened last year, but we did end up having to put the chick down. It was really sad, but it was suffering, so it was the most humane thing to do. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news

 

[Jive Turkey]

Thank you.yes sadly we had to put ours down as well. I will know in the future not to let it go so long, as he was suffering. Poor little guy. :'-)

 

[Unusedusername]

Hey, I have a Rhode Island red that was born with club foot which developed into something similar to that. How did yours work out? Did you notice if it was affecting the good leg at all? Because I'm worried the hip on my chick's good side is going to pop out...

I've just read it back and I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[jalabtek]

I have a production red with the same kind of leg. Also her feet are curled to the outside. She is 8 weeks old and she eats, drinks, goes outside of the coop even. I am hoping this deformity will not hinder her from laying.

 

[Eggcessive]

The chick in post one appears to have valgus leg deformity in both legs. It is untreatable, and one of several leg bone deformities in chickens.

 

[Project Blue]

I've had this happen . A roo had a leg injury and the vet put it down that now I'm sure I could of saved. I also had an older duckling that got mangled by a dog. Lacerations, torn ligaments and broken leg in more than one place. (we have a lovely neighbor that lets her pitbulls loose that have no problem tearing up coops and going over a chain link fences) A friend of mine showed me how to wrap with vet wrap around the body setting the leg underneath lined with cotton. I had to also soak the leg with disinfectant daily. The duck stayed in a tight box with paper towel wadding to help support him and I basically hand fed it for a few days. The duck just kept getting better and limped for months but now it moves without a hint of injury. Maybe 6 months total for complete recovery After the box treatment he then got to keep baby goslings company in a small coop where food and drink was effortless. If you wait too long to set the leg, the bones start to calcify in the wrong position requiring a rebreak. I think tight confinement and hand feeding is the hard part but necessary for success. The duck was very cooperative and quickly figured out how to drink out of a small bowl I held for him. In your chick's case I don't think he'd be as cooperative as a duck. Laying low and staying still seemed to be instinctive for the duck. Chicks struggle more, but I'd still rig up a box, with a cardboard panel for his legs to hang through where they should hang but touch the floor of the box combined with vet wrap. Basically set him up as his leg should be but no way to redamage his leg for a few days. I'm not a fan of pine shavings, especially loose and deep. I'd use pelleted pine bedding with a layer of paper towel over it for a few days afterward. Traction and support are better than struggling in deep fluff.