Kevin the PeaChick NEEDS HELP ASAP!!!

[ConstanceR]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I have an incubator hatched, almost 6-day old, healthy peachick that needs help! I have tried various contraptions mentioned here and on google search to help straighten his legs that both go straight out to either side of his body, but to no avail and I feel that I am running out of time to help Kevin have a stable life. He has never walked!

Below are some pictures of what Kevin is dealing with. I am ultimately looking for someone in the Puget Sound area (Kitsap or Pierce County), that is interested in taking Kevin to provide help for him as I do not have the hours it takes each day to work with him. My heart's desire is that he can be helped and have a long healthy life!

Kevin has been hanging in a sock or other gadgets with a hobble on his legs for the past two days. He has also worn boots for his feet. He refused to eat or drink at all while hanging in this manner for the past two days. Should I continue to leave him in this way? If so, for how long? The two day treatment did not change a thing once I took him out this morning. He has NEVER stood on his feet or walked at this point.

 

[EyeKeyYou]

Just tape his legs together about 3/4 inch apart. You can even use a band-aid to do it and hell be fine

 

[allbirds4me]

you need to tape those legs or use a small rubber band...tied off several times in the middle....to make two small little loops to loop over each foot and onto his lower legs.
Stand him up after doing so and look over it carefully, the hobble needs to be the normal distance of the width of his body when he's walking. Leave on for at least 2 days....sooner you do this the better and less time you have to leave the hobble on also.

 

[ConstanceR]

Thank you.

His legs have had a hobble on them for two days and he has been hanging from a sock or other gadget for two days. He cannot stand on his legs and his legs are still out to the side. Do I continue to leave him hanging in a sock with the hobble on? When he is in the sock with the hobble - he refuses to eat or drink.

I appreciate your advice however it does not seem to be working for him.

 

[allbirds4me]

keep the hobble on for a couple more days and remember, at the normal distance it would be for him IF he were walking normally, IE: the width of his body.
good idea to give him a vitamin B COMPLEX ( not just b6 or b12 , etc. ) supplement starting now along with fresh air and sunshine but don't let it get too cold or too hot., should be kept at about 95 degrees during this time. You can give it the human form of B COMPLEX , crumble up a small bit and put in his water..keep giving them to him for at least 2-3 weeks.
prob. would take him out of the sling, if you hobble those legs right it's not needed and chances are he would be able to eat and drink a lot better OUT of a sling.
don't give him too much leeway in those hobbles...make his legs be where they should be as IF he were walking normal.
Sometimes it helps to have two people to get it right, one holding up the chick with the legs in a normal position while one gets the hobble on it while the legs are in the normal position.
rubber band works like a charm but you have to get a small one and knot it up many times in the middle or it'll slip off too easily.

 

[ConstanceR]

Thank you both so much After reading your posts, I promptly put the hobble back on (at the right walking distance) and he lay on his face with his legs stretched out back for quite a while - but I just checked on him again after lunch, and he is sitting upright as he should!!! He tries to walk, but goes so fast that he falls over. Still, he is trying and I am looking forward to what will transpire over the next few hours!!

Also, I have been giving him probiotic chick boost - a little drop in his beak (twice per day) and poultry nutri-drench in his water from the beginning. For his food I scramble one egg and stir in his wild bird starter feed, which he loves!

I'm really excited to see what the outcome will be - I imagine Kevin (named from the movie "Up"), will be a beautiful healthy peacock or peahen one day soon

Thank you for your help and your prayers for Kevin!

Blessings,

Constance

 

[ConstanceR]

Kevin went on an outing on our homestead today!

 

[barkerg]

Kevin went on an outing on our homestead today!

Kevin is too cool,

. Gerald Barker

 

[ConstanceR]

Thank you! I think so too

 

[EyeKeyYou]

Kevin is coloring pretty quickly Blackshoulder male?