Hoppy the one legged chick**1-18-08 Sad News to Share

[Windy Ridge]

What a cute little baby!

It's not splayed leg, I don't think. The one boy I had with splayed leg, at least for him it was both legs, and they were floppy, not difficult to manipulate into a certain position.

Of course, that doesn't mean I have any idea what it might be. If it's a slipped tendon, like Diana suggests, it might loosen enough to slip back into place when the baby is relaxed, maybe asleep and warm in your hands. I wouldn't have any idea how to slip it back, though, or even what a slipped tendon feel like.

I hope someone else has some good advice!

 

[arlee453]

Just an update on 'hoppy' as the kids have named this chick.

Still really cute, still won't use that leg, or I should say can't use the leg.

I thought I might try to brace either with a splint on the one leg and/or brace together with a bandaid like for splayed legs, but I absolutely can not straighten the leg.

The other leg, is perfect, but the bad leg won't straighten. It doesn't feel broken either. Just like something was not formed right with the leg.

Hoppy is a happy chick though - gets around fine by hopping on the good leg. S/he eats and drinks and the others aren't picking on him either.

So, for now, I'm going to just see what happens. I just don't feel I can cull this chick when he/she is so happy and healthy. So we may just have Hoppy the One Legged Chicken for a while...

 

[PurpleChicken]

If your able to keep the chick eating it might be ok. We have a roo with
a curled foot named "Claw". If the chick is healthy in all the other ways
it may be able to compensate for the bad leg.

From the sense I get from you culling is not an option nor would I even
recommend it.

Hang in there Hoppy!

 

[dlhunicorn]

taping the foot in the correct position (tape under and above the foot with the toes in dorrect position and then press firmly between the toes and trim) will ensure against a clawed foot.

 

[alex]

that poor thing....im sorry for him....

 

[arlee453]

Just a Hoppy update for all his/her fans out there...The chicks turn two weeks old tomorrow and they have really grown and are all doing great overall.

Hoppy is still hopping around - the leg is no better, nor any worse - it is still 'locked' in that I cannot straighten it out at all. S/he uses it some to help balance but can not use it to move around.

I'm a bit worried about Hoppy - s/he is growing more slowly than the other chicks, although is still bright eyed and eating and drinking OK. The other chicks just leave Hoppy alone - thankfully they are not picking on him/her so I'm glad to leave them all together.

Hoppy spends a lot of time just sitting. Of course if I had to hop around everywhere I went, I'd probably just sit a lot too... come to think of it...what is MY excuse for sitting around a lot...Oh yeah, that's BYC...

Anyway, that's the Hoppy update - I'm not super encouraged by the progress so far, but also not terribly DIScouraged either.

Stay tuned for more Hoppy updates!

 

[tiffanyh]

I have a NN with one usable leg--she broke the other, ended up getting an abcess and although it is healed, she never uses it. It is pulled up like your chick. She does great. She momma-ed some NN babies for me this summer, free ranges wach evening too. She ahs her own house down low to the ground so she can get in, but occasionally after free ranging each evening with the other hens, I found her in the house about 2 feet up off the ground. She uses her wings to compensate it seems.

I also have a button quail hatched with one eye. He/she is a bit smaller and seems to be growing slower but is spunky and well.

My only concern would be if the other chicks seem to take it out in her.

 

[SpottedCrow]

As long as Hoppy's eating, drinking and pooping fine, I'd leave her be...

 

[luvzmybabz]

Hoppy has a species confusion issue he thinks he is a flamingo.

 

[arlee453]

Here's the latest on Hoppy...

S/he is doing OK, but I'm worried about the lack of growth as compared to the other hatchmates.

Hoppy is now about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the other chicks. She spends most of her time sitting on the floor of the brooder - it's hard for her to get around, so that makes sense.

The problem is that she doesn't seem to get enough to eat. I'm concerned about that, but am not sure the best approach to try to remedy it.

I COULD separate Hoppy out, but I don't want her to be lonely, and at the moment the other aren't aggressive towards her - they just are constantly knocking into her and stepping all over her by accident. Thankfully they aren't pecking or intentionally mean to Hoppy but the net result is that she gets knocked around while she's trying to eat and I don't think she is getting enough - it's just too much of a struggle for her.

If I separate her, she'll get more to eat, but then I worry that I may not be able to successfully re-integrate her into the group later. If she were doing worse, ie lethargic, or sickly then of course that would be the thing to do, but since she's holding her own I am not sure if separating her is the right course.

On the other hand, if I DON'T separate her, I am worried she will begin to weaken...

Thoughts??