Is this splay leg or slipped tendons, and what can I do to help this chick?

[Bocktobery 10]

Hey All!

I was given a call by a friend of mine who works at a local school- seems that she was talking to one of the teachers there and he said he had a chick that hatched in the egg hatching classroom project that couldn't walk. I agreed to take her in, thinking it was a simple case of splay leg. When I got the chick, it did seem like splay leg, only the worst case I have seen. I took the chick home, and did the whole vet wrap strip on the legs thing- That seemed to do the trick as after doing that the chick started to be able to move on its own, but I'm noticing a week later, if and when I take the bandage off- the chick's legs aren't really that much better and can't really walk too well. Its only a bit better in that the legs are not totally splay as they were her first day.

In reading more about this, I found some articles on slipped tendons. I'm not sure if this is what I have here or not. So I need help... Also, can I help this chick when she is two weeks old? Here are some photos of her condition taken very recently (about 3 days ago)....











She can hobble around with the leg brace on, but it doesn't seem to be healing up as well as what I remember for splay leg. I remember treating a chick years ago with it- and if I remember correctly, it only took about a week until I could remove the bandage/brace.

Can anyone help me with this poor chick? Even with the brace on, it is difficult for her to walk around. She mostly stays on her belly. Its also obviously uncomfortable for her. I don't want to cull her as I've put in a lot of effort and time already and had promised I'd get her on the mend again soon.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Bump Anyone?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Again, anyone can help me? Bump Bump

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Can anyone help me with this?

 

[Ancona Ducks]

How old is the chick

 

[Ancona Ducks]

The bones in the chick probably developed to be stronger now you can't fix it because the bones have set. IF this chick is a week old. IF earler you can probably fix it just give it some time.

 

[Ancona Ducks]

Also naybe if you can send a pic of the chick standing up

 

[aart]

Agrees with AD...may be too late to correct with vitamins, hobbles and such.
Looks like it may be more of a genetic or development anomaly than a vitamin deficiency or slipped tendon.
But I am not real sure, sorry.

Have you tried doing a search here on slipped tendon?
advanced search>titles only>slipped tendon

 

[cinnabunz]

Maybe shes to old to fix sadly and wont be able to live a quality of life

 

[Bocktobery 10]

She is past one week for sure. I believe she is working on her 3rd week of life now.

The good news is since I posted this, her leg brace (for splay leg) fell off and she seems to be getting around fine. I had the brace on since day one. Her toes just seem crooked now.

Yeah, I agree I should have a picture of her standing, that might have shown the problem better. In the photos I supplied I wanted to highlight how her legs stick out- middle toes don't face forward but outwards. Now when she walks, her middle toe curls outwards- and it seems to me that she is walking on the sides of her toes. I hope to get a picture soon.

If she is able to move around with relative ease now, but her toes are crooked/curled... will she get problems later on or is it safe ot say she's made it out of the woods? She can get to food and water just fine, plays around with the other chicks too. It doesn't seem to bother her that much. Are you sure this can't be fixed yet? She is not a full grown hen yet! I agree the first week is most important, but I wonder if somethign still can be done.

Anyone have a full grown hen with crooked toes? Does it give her great difficulty?