Help? Splay legged chick

[Sushi]

I have a button quail chick that is splay legged, 2 days old. I don't have the heart to cull something so tiny. It's so squirmy, that I am really having trouble taping its tiny legs. Anyone have any advice? How bad of a life would this little thing have being crippled? I think its still able to make it to the food & water on its own.

 

[alicefelldown]

You don't have to cull it.

http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

Get a second person to help if you need.

 

[Valley quail breeder]

Quote:
Sometimes you can correct it. Most of the time they die from handling them or other chicks pecking the band aid or tape. It's best to separate the chick and try this procedure to correct the spraddle leg. And don't use paper towels on newly hatched like that images demonstrated in that link. Paper towels or newspaper, shavings etc this early in chick development is not recommended use those only after a week or so. This is the main cause of spraddle legs. Also, Interbreeding. use grip right or screen of some kind to put in the bottom of hatcher, Brooder. And sometimes sad to say you will have to cull, Good luck.

 

[Sushi]

Thank you for the link, but the problem is the legs are going the other direction: one is straight back and the other one is pulled up to its body. The feet are both curled up and it isnt getting traction when it tries to walk. Is there a different way of taping the legs up to correct it this way? Also, the darn thing is the size of a bumble bee.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Ive had marginal success using appropriate-sized shot glasses.

They may get better, but usually most die . . .

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

I am so sorry.

This sounds more like a deformed chick. If the toes haven't straightened yet, they probably won't. That goes for the legs,also.
I don't have buttons, so I can't help you. I do have the Jumbo Coturnix and I would not let a little one like that suffer.

I am sorry, but if someone else can't help you on this. I think you need to prepare yourself.

Hopefully someone else has dealt with a problem like this with some sort of success. I haven't.

 

[Sushi]

I am thinking that as well right now. I think I am going to have to euthanize this little one. Any ideas for a quick or painless way to dispatch it?

 

[Valley quail breeder]

Quote:
When there deformed like that several things could have happened hard to pen point the exact reason the easiest method to cull for me is gently grab by the head than sling round around a couple jerks sounds graphic I know but seems to do the trick better than a knife. etc, etc.

 

[Shaun]

If you can't do that, and I understand if you can't: Get a small jar with a tight lid. Buy some starter fluid from the auto store. Crumple up a tissue or take some cotton balls and spray heavily on the tissue/balls and put them and the chick in the small jar and tighten the lid. Starter fluid is ether - the stuff they used to use to put folks to sleep for surgery. Chick will go to sleep, and an overdose like this will make it stop breathing. Leave it in there overnight to be sure. No pain, no fuss, a kind way to do it.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Sushi, the first few times I had to cull new hatched chicks I got a little zip lock bag, put a napkin in it, held the baby firmly with face pointing down away from you, for just a minute. Then with scissors snipped the little head off or break the neck with the scissors. Don't worry if you don't cut through the neck, but I do make sure it does bleed.
It may shiver in your hand, that's OK. It is not suffering, it is the nerves and muscles reacting to the lack of oxygen and blood circulating. All deaths entail this, all deaths, it is a fact of life and death. Take comefort in that you held it as it died.

Close the bag and I put it in the freezer until trash day. It's done, the baby doesn't know what was going on. The only one suffering is you. You will get over it. If you hatch any type of eggs, it is sometimes necessary. If you raise any animal it is sometimes necessary when they are older. It doesn't really get easier, but it gets easier to handle.

I still do it this way and I have tried the can with Vinegar and Baking soda, which I imagine is like the ether.