Early Hatch Quail Chick - Curled Toes and Slipped Tendon?

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

One of my little Valley quail hatched early (on the 6th, due on the 8th). He appears to have curled toes and I believe a slipped tendon. I've currently taped the toes on the ok leg, but I can't manage to do anything on the other. His leg is so tiny and thin I am worried I am making it worse. When I straighten his leg I can feel the tendon pop in and out, but am struggling to wrap it in place. I've started him with some vitamins, any advice on how to get his leg wrapped would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Nabiki]

That's a tough one. Personally, I would cull, but if that's not an option, you might try medical tape? O don't know if you'll be successful, though.

 

[QuailQueen3]

One of my little Valley quail hatched early (on the 6th, due on the 8th). He appears to have curled toes and I believe a slipped tendon. I've currently taped the toes on the ok leg, but I can't manage to do anything on the other. His leg is so tiny and thin I am worried I am making it worse. When I straighten his leg I can feel the tendon pop in and out, but am struggling to wrap it in place. I've started him with some vitamins, any advice on how to get his leg wrapped would be greatly appreciated!

I recommend placing him/her on non-adhesive shelf liner and letting him or her start to move around for several days without immobilizing (wrapping) any joints. If you are able, very gently open the curled toes on the pad of your own index or middle finger, gently place your thumb on the top of its foot and just let it get a gentle stretch for 1 minute, repeat this 2-3 times per day. Do not attempt to bend and straighten the legs.

If he/she is going to fix this orthopedic problem, movement and weight-bearing on the non-adhesive shelf liner is the best way to do it (with the occasional gentle stretch if you are able to).

If you attempt to transfer the chick to a paper towel surface (even if the paper towel is over the non-adhesive shelf liner), and he/she has difficulty getting his/her footing (compared to the direct shelf liner) or worse yet starts to have splay legs, then he/she is not yet ready to transition to this surface.

If you ever feel compelled to immobilize, wrap, or splint a limb or joint, I recommend first wrapping with cotton cast padding, then Coban wrap.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

That's a tough one. Personally, I would cull, but if that's not an option, you might try medical tape? O don't know if you'll be successful, though.

I was hoping there'd be more I could do, I'd hate to have to cull my first chick
I'll think I'll try a few more days trying to help correct it before I make that decision.
On a more positive note the second has hatched, it is still in the incubator so I don't know what its legs are like. Hopefully all perfect

 

[Purelychicks]

I was hoping there'd be more I could do, I'd hate to have to cull my first chick
I'll think I'll try a few more days trying to help correct it before I make that decision.
On a more positive note the second has hatched, it is still in the incubator so I don't know what its legs are like. Hopefully all perfect

Hi! I had a baby (chicken) like this. It was really bad. She had Curled toes AND splay legs. I taped her curled toes, and used a piece of band-aid to correct splay legs. I kept it on her for 2-3 days. She’s perfectly fine now.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Hi! I had a baby (chicken) like this. It was really bad. She had Curled toes AND splay legs. I taped her curled toes, and used a piece of band-aid to correct splay legs. I kept it on her for 2-3 days. She’s perfectly fine now.

Thank you for replying.
I have successfully corrected splay leg in chicken chicks and have seen a slipped tendon in one of my last chicken chicks (I wasnt able to successfully correct it, but she is still able to walk and just has very crooked legs).
This is my first experience with curled toes. It is simple near impossible to do much with this little one due to incredibly small and thin legs. I fear the more I fiddle with him the worse I make it.
I am worried the one in the incubator has curled toes too

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I am thinking of putting them on shavings now to help with the toes and legs, I normally keep chicks on puppy pads for a few days while I teach them to eat but I feel these two will benefit from having the shavings early.
I am quite upset I am having such a complicated hatch

 

[Nabiki]

How high was your humidity? In my experience, higher humidity has given me more curled toes. I've had my best hatches at about 30% humidity, and raising it to 50-60% at lockdown.

Your second chick may start off with curled toes that will straighten out in less than a day on their own. Don't mess with them unless they still look like little fists after a few hours.

 

[Huntmaster]

I can feel the tendon pop in and out,

Hi! I had a baby (chicken) like this. It was really bad. She had Curled toes AND splay legs. I taped her curled toes, and used a piece of band-aid to correct splay legs. I kept it on her for 2-3 days. She’s perfectly fine now.

Slipped tendon is much more difficult to correct than splay leg or curled toes. Hope the best for you and your new hatchlings.

 

[Huntmaster]

On a more positive note the second has hatched, it is still in the incubator so I don't know what its legs are like. Hopefully all perfect

How is your second hatchling doing?