how long to hobble a silkie chick?

[onthespot]

i hatched three buff silkies from shipped eggs this past weekend. One was a day late and when I found it had splayed the left leg. Ordinarily, I'd cull and discard immediately, but I paid around $135 for these eggs, and I'm trying to hang onto everything I can to see if I can get at least a pair out of this trio. This one chick might be my only roo or pullet. Anyhow, It is up and walking, and hating the hobbles, but able to get close to the heat or away from other chicks, and does drink when I dip its beak. I have not seen it eat yet, but I'm not keeping a suicide watch on it, just glancing every now and then. Any whooooooo.... How long do you think I need to keep the hobbles on it? It was splayed out behind, but when I pulled the leg in and set it up it could walk a bit, so I think there's hope.

 

[onthespot]

Nobody here with silkie hobbling experience? Someone throw me a bone here... tap tap tap, is this thing on???

 

[onthespot]

Well, last night it was so miserable from the hobbles that I took them off. It had a wide stance, but it was not splayed. I cut them off with scissors, and accidently nicked one of its fifth toes. NOoooo!!! I didn't realize it until I set it down in the brooder and all the other chicks attacked it for what I thought was no reason. Then I saw a bit of blood, and they had torn a little skin off the tip of its toe too. Poor BABY!!! I put Quik Stop on it and got the bleeding to stop. Luckily, quick stop was the same color as the fluff, yellow, so no one noticed. I put it in with the other chicks, but it was just unsteady and not trusting itself to walk normally. It was afraid of getting bumped by the other chicks, so I put a little wire bird carrier over it with the floor taken out, and poured a bunch of ground feed in there, and positioned it so it could get closer to the light or further away. It leaned on the cage side for a while, then tried to sleep standing up. I put another silkie in with it for company. It was still alive this morning, and not splayed. It still stands a little funny, but I saw a small bulge on the crop area of its neck. WOOT! It ate last night! I dipped its beak and it was thirsty, and went back and drank out of the waterer itself! Double WOOT! I am letting it loose with the other chicks for a bit, and will cover it with the cage again for safety, and let it out some to drink, back in jail, drink, back in jail until it is walking normally again, or goes the other way. Well, that is what I did. Hope that info helps someone.

 

[PaigeHgibson]

I hope everything goes well for you

I have never had splay leg with my cochins or silkies
but i have had it with pigeons , hobbling even if it makes them miserable

seems to be best
Once again i hope it all works out
Paige

 

[onthespot]

Thanks for your reply. How long have you generally found you need to hobble them to be of help? Sometimes lovebirds splay if they are an only chick.