Do Chicks get spay legs?

[1234duck]

I don't know if I'm even saying the word right, but it's when the legs are spread apart and the chick can't walk. This is whats going on with a chick that's about 5 weeks old or so and its been like this for about 3 weeks. I thought it's leg or wing was maybe dislocated but it has flown a little(up to the top of a small/medium sized box). It only scoots but mostly backwards. I help it by holding it while it drinks. i didn't want it to fall in the water and not get back out. It eats and goes poo but i notice a noise while its drinking/swallowing the water. I don't know what I should do. I wasn't sure if chicks are only born with spay legs or can they get it afterwards? Thanks, ~Julie

 

[jeepguy982001]

i think you mean splayed. I wish i could help but i'm fairly new to chicken raising hopefully someone will give you some good answers soon.

 

[foxypoproxy]

Some chicks can get splayed legs after they have been on something slippery like newspaper.
They are not born like this, it is normally just caused by how they are kept.
Preferably use something like pine shavings so its not slippery.
Ive seen some videos and apparently you can try and fix it by band-aiding the legs together so it has some support while walking.
Because the chick is still growing, you can try and fix the problem.
Here are some reference video's:

 

[Gargoyle]

Do a search here for the "band aid" cure, people have very good luck with it. The videos Foxypoproxy links to will be helpful in seeing how that works.

 

[1234duck]

How can i be sure that it is splayed leg that the chick has? I 'm not sure if its the wing or leg/legs. when you look from the back of the chick the one side of the wing looks kinda lop sided /not on the chicks back like the other side. but yes the legs don't stay together. There doesn't seem to be any pain that i can tell. The chick is approx. 5 weeks old now. has been crippled approx. 3 weeks now. Do you think its too late to do any thing to help it? I was using pine shavings for bedding when this happened i think it got trampled by the others there was 9 total in a not very large brooder. now I'm using a rubber shelf liner on top of the bedding. It seems to help a little for some traction. Thanks for the advice i don't know what i should do. ~Julie~

 

[foxypoproxy]

How can i be sure that it is splayed leg that the chick has? I 'm not sure if its the wing or leg/legs. when you look from the back of the chick the one side of the wing looks kinda lop sided /not on the chicks back like the other side. but yes the legs don't stay together. There doesn't seem to be any pain that i can tell. The chick is approx. 5 weeks old now. has been crippled approx. 3 weeks now. Do you think its too late to do any thing to help it? I was using pine shavings for bedding when this happened i think it got trampled by the others there was 9 total in a not very large brooder. now I'm using a rubber shelf liner on top of the bedding. It seems to help a little for some traction. Thanks for the advice i don't know what i should do. ~Julie~

It sounds like splay leg. They basically look like they are doing a split and are very unbalanced and can't walk properly.
It may be using its wing to help it balance itself.
I'm pretty sure it can also happen from being trampled.
Try the band-aid thing, couldn't hurt.

 

[Gargoyle]

How late in their development can the band-aid method be used? I have one who came to us at about 5 or 6 months old, she's now around 8 months old, a very determined pullet but she is clumsy and trips a lot, can't (or won't) go up on perches since she'd probably fall. I think she's getting a bit more unstable as time goes on.

 

[foxypoproxy]

How late in their development can the band-aid method be used? I have one who came to us at about 5 or 6 months old, she's now around 8 months old, a very determined pullet but she is clumsy and trips a lot, can't (or won't) go up on perches since she'd probably fall. I think she's getting a bit more unstable as time goes on.

I'm not entirely sure.
But i think it can only be fixed when they are still a growing chick (first few weeks or so).

So i don't think there is much you can do for the 5-6 month pullet.
Fortunately, it doesn't look like her splay leg was severe, so she is still able to function.

 

[Gargoyle]

Fortunately, it doesn't look like her splay leg was severe, so she is still able to function.

She's a take charge kind of gal, so she does ok, but I hate seeing her trip and stumble all the time when she climbs over things or walks down (almost tumbles down) from the coop to the run. I need to make the place more "accessible".

 

[SuperChickMama]

She's pretty, I have a Dominique that suffers from a similar malady. I hope everything is alright, and I would like to know what the outcome is and if you find anything that works. My girl is about 5 months old.