I am linking this entry to the posts I have already written about our week old chick, Rudy. We have tried to set Rudy's legs with make shift casting and bandaging, shoes, physical therapy, EVERYTHING we can think of... The bottom line is that Rudy is not getting better. He/She is not getting worse, either. The other chicks do occasionally peck at him/her, but are not bullying the chick. I understand that euthanasia is a possibility, but Rudy does not seem to be in pain. He/She is eating, drinking, eliminating regularly. I want to give this chick every chance to live and have the best life it can have.
The main problem is that the knee joint is fused into a laying down position. Does anyone have any suggestions/idea on what more we could do?
Secondary concern is that the only pain the chick seems to feel is when we are trying to help it by adding bracing, changing bracing, and manipulating its legs. Perhaps, it is time to stop trying to repair the defect and to just let Rudy continue to learn to "swim" instead of walking???
Additional concern is that even if Rudy lives and manages to "swim" its way through life, the risk of infection due to sitting on the ground in waste or mud, and the toll this will take physically on its legs (not being created to be walked on all the time) will take. Once he/she is larger, a cushioned velcro brace could be fashioned to protect the leg from elements and the like, but...
Please, follow the links and read what we have done so far. I would appreciate any thoughts of anything else that might be of use.
http://lallybrochfarms.blogspot.com/2012/07/poultry-physical-therapy.html First efforts to correct issue
http://lallybrochfarms.blogspot.com/2012/07/rudy-gets-cast-and-shoes.html Second efforts.
As of last night, we tried flexistraws cut to size and then slit length-wise to fit. This was secured with tape and did make effective braces, but since Rudy cannot support its own wieght and cannot balance on them, he/she spent the next few hours laying on its side with its legs sticking out peeping madly. I removed them. I left all the bracing off for the night. This morning, Rudy was alive, alert and able to swim his/her way to the water and feeding containers on her/his own. I left them off while I had to go to work.
Thanks for the help,
Sonja of Lally Broch Farm
The main problem is that the knee joint is fused into a laying down position. Does anyone have any suggestions/idea on what more we could do?
Secondary concern is that the only pain the chick seems to feel is when we are trying to help it by adding bracing, changing bracing, and manipulating its legs. Perhaps, it is time to stop trying to repair the defect and to just let Rudy continue to learn to "swim" instead of walking???
Additional concern is that even if Rudy lives and manages to "swim" its way through life, the risk of infection due to sitting on the ground in waste or mud, and the toll this will take physically on its legs (not being created to be walked on all the time) will take. Once he/she is larger, a cushioned velcro brace could be fashioned to protect the leg from elements and the like, but...
Please, follow the links and read what we have done so far. I would appreciate any thoughts of anything else that might be of use.
http://lallybrochfarms.blogspot.com/2012/07/poultry-physical-therapy.html First efforts to correct issue
http://lallybrochfarms.blogspot.com/2012/07/rudy-gets-cast-and-shoes.html Second efforts.
As of last night, we tried flexistraws cut to size and then slit length-wise to fit. This was secured with tape and did make effective braces, but since Rudy cannot support its own wieght and cannot balance on them, he/she spent the next few hours laying on its side with its legs sticking out peeping madly. I removed them. I left all the bracing off for the night. This morning, Rudy was alive, alert and able to swim his/her way to the water and feeding containers on her/his own. I left them off while I had to go to work.
Thanks for the help,
Sonja of Lally Broch Farm
