Help? Splayed leg chick with brace on for 48 hours, but legs still sticking out behind it and can't stand. Do I give up?

[AnnieCopperkettle]

Hi all, I hatched a chick in an incubator which I think has splayed legs. It's legs go out to the side and one leg had the tendency to go straight back. It can't walk at all and scoots along on its belly. It was a long time from pip to unzip when hatching so maybe malpostitioned? It is now 48 hours old. I have had a splint on it since about 6 hours old but it still can't stand up. I used a band-aid first then a straw and rubber bad, both worked fine and seemed comfortable. It can weight bare but when I let go of it it falls forward and legs stick out behind and scoots about on its belly. I have popped it in a cup a little and it kind of stands but its feet seem to not flatten out. It did get one leg stuck in a loop of membrane when hatching and dragged the shell about for a bit before another chick pecked it off, poor thing.

Should I do more cup therapy? Vitamins? Chick chair?

This is the first time this has happened to me so I don't really know what I'm doing. The chick is otherwise loud and feisty and has been pooing. It's legs look normal (if a little weak). I am spoon feeding it honey water and egg yolk, but it's a lot of work if this little one is not going to improve. What should I do?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, and welcome to BYC!

You're doing well for this little one! We've had several over the years, and most are cured in a day or two, but some, like this one, could take a few more days. One with a leg jutting out similar to yours I presume, took two weeks, but she's a perfect hen now.

Usually, they eventually learn to walk with the bindings on, but yours must not be able to, thus why you're trying the cup. I believe it'll do better just with bindings than a chick chair.

Sometimes we've done physical therapy, which is what you're doing by making it stand and putting pressure on its legs. Try keep the bindings on for 48 hours or more without taking them off. We found that for the tougher ones, taking them off every 12 hours to give them a break was counterproductive.

As for vitamins, B-Complex is best, but for such a tiny chick, you'd need to crush a pill and divide it into 8ths, and then mix 1/8th of that in a little bit of mash (water and crumbles) so it eats it all. Just once a day of that for a week or two. Otherwise, you could get some poultry vitamins like Poultry Cell or Nutri-Drench and mix up a batch of water that they all could have every other day.

It's frustrating sometimes, but I think you're going to fix this one! Keep us posted.

 

[AnnieCopperkettle]

Thank you for the helpful reply! I left it in the cup with warm wheat packs around it for much longer today. Like an hour at a time. It fell asleep in there, cute. It seems to have a little more strength now maybe? But still no change. I have left the brace on all the time other than checking progress and fit etc.

I mean it is totally unable to get onto its feet. Do you really think it will be able to do that eventually? I hope so!

Thanks again. I shall persevere and see what happens.

 

[AnnieCopperkettle]

Hi all,
I previously posted about this chick...
It's day 3 now and we have done a lot of cup therapy, brace on since 6 hours old, hand feeding, the works. I had an encouraging reply to the original post but I'm just not sure this chick will walk ever and am wondering if it is more a case of deformed legs or some other uncorrectable leg issue?

When I place it on its feet it can't hold its own weight now, just pushes backwards and flips over. The more I look at its feet I see they seem weak and maybe twisted? Its toes dont seem to be able to sit flat or secure and strong on the ground. I just don't see how it will be able to ever stand having made zero progress in 3 days. I am wondering if it is cruel to keep going here?
I have attached some photos and would love some advise on how to proceed!?! Please note I am not holding it up on the photos, just stopping it from falling backwards.

I'm comfortable with humanely euthanising it if I need to, as awful amd disappointing as that would be

 

[Debbie292d]

It has curled toes, mostly the left one. You can make "shoes" for it by cutting a thin piece of cardboard like that from a cereal box the shape of its foot, then use vet wrap or masking tape to tape its foot flat on the cardboard. Here's an article showing it, but they just used tape. You can do it either way. We just found the cardboard stood up better than tape alone. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-with-tape-picture-tutorial-and-video.75247/

You didn't mention giving it B-Complex or anything. That can have a helpful impact as well.

I'd take the bindings off for a bit after you get its shoes on and see how it's doing. Like I mentioned above, severe cases can be healed, but can take up to two weeks in my experience.

 

[AnnieCopperkettle]

Huh OK I didn't know about that. I will try that.That article says to do it in the first 24 hours, hope it still makes a difference. Do you know how long I should leave the shoes on for?

I haven't given any vitamins because I can't get any! I live in quite a rural area. But I might need to travel further afield.

I am ok with continuing as you suggested, I just want to make sure I am not being cruel, it just looks so awful and hopeless struggling along on its belly. But honestly its pooing and otherwise strong. I shall keep going! Thank you again.

 

[Debbie292d]

Huh OK I didn't know about that. I will try that.That article says to do it in the first 24 hours, hope it still makes a difference. Do you know how long I should leave the shoes on for?

I haven't given any vitamins because I can't get any! I live in quite a rural area. But I might need to travel further afield.

I am ok with continuing as you suggested, I just want to make sure I am not being cruel, it just looks so awful and hopeless struggling along on its belly. But honestly its pooing and otherwise strong. I shall keep going! Thank you again.

The toes were fixed in around 24 hours or so. If they aren't, one more day should do it.

It doesn't know any difference so it's not really suffering as much as you think it is. It's just frustrated mostly.

 

[AnnieCopperkettle]

OK great! Hopefully that helps it stand up.
Poor little thing. Thanks