Help! Spraddle leg and curled toes!

[HennyJenny]

I have a 2 day old with severe spraddle leg and curled toes. I understand the mechanics of what I can do - shoe boots splits - but I have a couple of concerns that I don't really see anywhere else. I'll start by saying other than the leg issues this is a very vigorous chick but it is a very very tiny chick from a standard buff orp. Not only are the legs splayed but they seem to be muscle locked between the knee and the hip. This chick can sit on its bum with its legs out in front of it and it is going everywhere it wants to by "swimming". It's hatchmate is enormous and together they appear to be pinky and the brain. It took me no less than 30 minutes to put "shoes" on the little thing and I tried for another 20 to bandaid his legs as shown in multiple posts but that was a failure! Between the locked leg muscles and the titan like struggle the little runt put up it was practically impossible without injury (to one of us) - so I set him and his shoes into a footed teacup. This was very upsetting! Pinky pulled him out by his wing after he extended it like a little hand. Pinky also brings him food (he can get it himself though) - they appear to be helping each other! That would be really cool - except for I don't think it helps the spraddle leg problem. So my question is - if the shoes correct the curled toes will the rest of these problems correct themselves with any luck at all?

 

[Chic Chick]

A four letter word for you -Cull! Sorry! There are enough problems to worry about with good healthy chicks, you don't need the added problem of curled toes and splayed legs. I find that happens quite often with the really late hatchers. I've had some success with curled toes but if the chick is walking on it's hocks it probably won't get better.

 

[HennyJenny]

Chic Chick thanks for your response. That's kind of what I was thinking - I just needed to confirm this was "bad" since I'd never seen it before. Thanks for your help.
Jenny

 

[Chicky Sarah]

I'm tempted to agree with the above with regards to ending it''s life...it's a hard decision and one I was too cowardly to make. However, I'm glad that I didn't because we did have 1 chick that walked on its hocks for approx. 2 days but now on day 6 it's doing fine; 2nd chick had splayed legs and wasn't really able to walk - we put him in a separate box and tied his legs together with a piece of ribbon for 12 hours (he wasn't moving anyway, so we figured no harm). Put him in with the others the next morning and he was off running. Chicks 3, 4 and 5 all had toe problems and some walked on their hocks for a short while but they really do seem to be doing well now.
However, if you're a stronger person than I am I am still tempted to agree with the above. They can survive with these problems - we justified it through the facts that these chicks are meant to be more pets than anything else and so would get lots of attention, but if you want a functioning flock I think you might have to make that hard choice. Sorry to not fall down on one side of the fence and good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

When we take on breeding animals we also take on the responsibility for improving the line of animals we are creating. You're not doing yourself or the chick any favors by keeping it. Cull it out and focus on the birds that are worth your time and effort. A bit of starter fluid (ether) in a sealed bag will do the job quickly.