Hours old chick has one foot upside down. What's going on and can I fix it??

coastiespice

Hatching
Aug 19, 2015
3
1
7
New Braunfels, Texas




I've never hatched chicks before. One of my hens went broody and a friend gave me 4 fertilized eggs for her to sit on. Today is day 20 and 2 of the eggs have hatched. I would say they hatched about 6-7 hours ago. One of the chicks has a leg splayed to the side and a foot completely upside down. I taped the legs about a inch apart, but the foot is still upside down.
Like I said, this is my first experience with this and I have no idea what I'm doing except what I've managed to find online over the last hour. I'm not sure if that's something that may be normal on day 1 or not. It's not curled toe, seems to partially be spraddle leg, and I have no idea how to tell if it's related to a tendon.
Please help me!!
 
Last edited:
I've never hatched chicks before. One of my hens went broody and a friend gave me 4 fertilized eggs for her to sit on. Today is day 20 and 2 of the eggs have hatched. I would say they hatched about 6-7 hours ago. One of the chicks has a leg splayed to the side and a foot completely upside down. I taped the legs about a inch apart, but the foot is still upside down.
Like I said, this is my first experience with this and I have no idea what I'm doing except what I've managed to find online over the last hour. I'm not sure if that's something that may be normal on day 1 or not. It's not curled toe, seems to partially be spraddle leg, and I have no idea how to tell if it's related to a tendon.
Please help me!!
Can you post a pic???
 
Is the foot the same size as the other one? If it appears to be the same, except for it's position, I'd venture to guess that the problem is up in the hock area. I'm thinking it's a severe slipped tendon with total joint dislocation. IMO your best plan of action would be to euthanize that chick. If the foot is in any way deformed, in addition to it's location, it's a congenital issue, and again, I'd advise culling.
 
I brought the chick to vet clinic this afternoon and the Doc said the leg bone above the joint is deformed. It starts straight then spirals so the knee joint is faced backwards, as is everything below. Doesn't cause the chick any pain, everything aside from the spiral bone is in proper order. He thinks the chick will likely either die or be killed by the momma hen, and if it lasted long enough to grow its body weight would be too much for one leg to support so mobility to get food and water would be it's main problem.
 
Oh My!
I am not sure what has happened.
I have been doing some research and figures out that the twisted leg condition is referred to as "perosis" and is caused by a nutritional deficiency of a vitamin named "choline." This vitamin is important in the formation of cartilage that maintains the stability of the hock or ankle joint.
But I still cant figure out how to solve it.
Hope this helps!
 
16518009953046902722904676507292.jpg


I think I have same issue. First chick we ever hatched, too. It's only been 30 minutes or so tho.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom