Help! Chick with hurt leg

[splatsta4]

I hatched 4 out fo 7 eggs about a week ago. Now I have one peep that seems to have a hurt leg. I don't know what caused it, but this is the way it stays in my brooder box. I also don't know if there is really any thing I can do. I have noticed that when the other peeps happen to step on the leg it goes crazy.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Hi, it's hard to say with the info given. Post a picture if you can and do a site search on splay leg, since that is fairly common and can often be fixed. Also you may want to change your title to something more specific--Help, chick with injured leg--or something along those lines. You'll get more responses from people who have had those kind of problems when it's in the title. Good luck with your peep.

ETA--oops! Didn't notice the pic link the first time. Go check out the splay leg threads. I haven't had to deal with it myself, but looks like it could be that or a dislocation. Has the leg always been that way or did it happen suddenly?

 

[splatsta4]

It seems to have happened suddenly. I have picked the peep up and gently squeezed the leg. It doesn't seem to be in any discomfort.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
If it happend suddenly I'd be inclined to think it's been dislocated. Can you rotate it at all? I've read that they'll often pop back into place, but haven't had to deal with this myself yet. Do a search on dislocated leg and I'll bet you'll come up with a thread that has step-by-step instructions on what to do with it. You may want to seperate the chick if it's getting stepped and/or pecked on.

 

[splatsta4]

I just used the thread for splay leg and for now it seems to be doing fine. From what I have saw in the threads, I hope that it is splay leg. I will definitely check for a thread on dislocated legs though. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Kittymomma]

Glad to hear that! I love this site. There is a ton of info in the archives and if you get really stuck there are some super knowlegable people who are great about helping out.

 

[splatsta4]

I don't think it is dislocated, it doesn't seem to be in any pain and I can move the leg around. The several times I have picked it up I have tucked the leg back underneath it. It's eating and drinking and seems to be able to get up. I hope the band aid trick for the splay leg works.

 

[fourfeathers]

You can follow the einstructions for splayed or spraddle leg . If it is that, it should do well quickly. Does it put any weight on it, does it go to the side, do a quick neuro test (see if the toes curl around your finger if you put pressure on the bottom of foot). Also, Important! Get it on a nonslip material, a towel would be fine. Sometimes being on newspaper can contribute to spraddle leg.

 

[splatsta4]

Yes, it will put weight on the leg and the leg does go to the side. I have checked out the spraddle leg thread and found a link there that had information that I'm using. The peep seems to be doing fine but I guess tomorrow I will be able to tell more. Just worried about it. I love all my little peeps but it's my favorite because it's the only Mottled Houdan I had hatch.

 

[splatsta4]

Just checked on my peep and caught a glimpse of it walking. I thought it was kinda funny watching it take smaller steps than it should, but it's walking.