Fixing Splayed legs

[frenchblackcopper]

We all hope it never happens but sometimes it does. Right around pipping time is when the legs and toes begin to start to stiffen up and become less pliable,so to speak. That being said, once the egg is pipped hopefully it shouldn't take more than 24 hours and it's out and doing great. But if it takes a lot longer or you have an egg that butt pips chances are if your not there to expedite hatching,your peachicks going to have trouble.
This is what happened to me this past weekend when our power was out for about 6 hours and I was not aware of it.We had just a few peachicks completely out and dried off before the outage. A few were pipped and some was a little further along. Still,several had not yet pipped and when I first looked the temperature of the hatcher was down to 64 degrees. Two chicks was almost lifeless that were completely and fresh out of the eggs. Older ones were fine. We immediatedly lost 3 chicks that were pipped before the power loss. And still had about 15 with no pip. This occured on day 28. As the temperature quickly came up the two new hatched ones perked right up and are now doing fine. Here is the nightmare we now have on our hands with 4 chicks.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Oh FBC, sorry about your peababy troubles!
I know you will do your best for this little guy.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Many may just decide to put the peachick down. But as I have done in the past, if you spend a little time and effort you can have the chick up to normal in about 2 days or less. The main objective is to act quickly. Waiting more than 24 hours sometimes can be too late on getting toes straight. But I have sucessfully hobbled and restrained splayed legged peachicks that are 2-3 days old and they come thru it better than waiting, then trying to correct crooked toes.
The first thing I do is to secure both legs together under the peachick. I use 4" zipties and draw it tight enough so the chicks legs are held together and they cannot pull their feet thru the loop in the tie.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I then cut strips of newspaper about 6" wide and about 12" long.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Now comes the fun part. The object is to keep both legs under the body of the peachick,as if in a natural position when it would be sitting. I place the chick in the middle of the papers width. You must have room on both ends to secure the newspaper and to properly restrain-restrict the peachicks movement. The key is to keep both legs immobile for a day or so in a position they should be in if they were normal.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Next is to actually roll the peachick up in the newspaper.It is easiest if you lay the chick in your hand with about 3" of newspaper on one side of the chick that you can flip over it's back,then tuck and begin rolling towards the longer end of yet unused newspaper.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

What your basically trying to accomplish is stuffing a sausage inside a toilet paper roll and keeping it secure.Once you think you have achieved this it's now time to check and be sure the peachicks legs are still under the body of the chick.If it has managed to wiggle them behind it's body,unwrap it and try again and use more "squeeze" as you roll. Oh yes,the peachick will let you knowit's not a happy camper and cheep-cheep like it's in a mouse trap,,but just let the exercise their lungs and go about your business. This is how the leggs should look from the back side of your open roll.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Here is the open

end of the head side of the chick roll-up.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

The next part is to make the paper roll as tight as possible around the peachick so it does not wiggle free. I use a paper stapler and shipping tape. I first squeeze the paper down right behind the peachicks rump, then slide the excess newspaper into the stapler and put 3 staples across the back of the open roll.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Next is the neck end and this has to be tight or the chick can get enough wiggle room to get out of the paper sleeve. Depending on how big around the excess paper is,determines if I put a staple on the bottom and top,or just on the bottom. Rememeber we're not going for comfort here,but to keep the chicks legs under it's body for at least one day. It's more less a complete body cast.