Lil Hop ALong has no use of legs... is there any hope?

[snowydiamonds]

Two of the chicks our elementary school hatched out grew too fast for their legs to stand and feed wasn't restricted nights so they were down before I picked them up and brought home. Then their feet were too big and they stumbled more over those large feet and weak legs. I restricted feed and they began standing on shakey legs, then trying to walk on new big feet. They are doing much better now, but we're taking it a day at a time. They are hardly shakey at all and still prepare to use their wings if needed to walk but it seems they are (if only temporarily) on the mend. Good luck w/your Quincy, do her claws or feet get tangled in your carpet? I wouldn't take a chance and just keep her off the carpet...? No linoleum, they really need dirt, straw, grass, etc., natural to exercise on and "be a chicken."

 

[PoultryPedia]

Here are rough sketches of foam (shown in darkest color) brace on upper legs, which I taped with sports tape (white) near the sides of foam--avoiding sticking the tape to legs or feathers. I tapered the leg holes so they were wider at top for her thighs but narrower at bottom to help prevent them slipping down past her knees.

I got an approx 18"x24" piece of high-density "chair cushion" foam from a fabric store for about $7.
In addition to the brace on her upper legs, I put a hobble of sports tape or velcro on her lower legs (See photos on previous page of this thread).
You have to check and adjust especially the hobbles every couple days to ensure no sores develop. Also watch for chafing, and tape some padding anywhere the chick is likely to bump itself (like its hocks/knees).

You can use baby oil to make tape removal easier (Waterless antibacterial hand soap is great for getting the oiliness off you & the chick afterward).

ZooMummzy, I hope maybe this can help Quincy, even if she's not initially thrilled with it.
LHP, anywhere that Lil HopAlong's stiff leg feathers might get scrunched in foam or pulled by tape hobbles would hurt. It might not be possible to use them on him. He sure is the cutest, sweetest looking little fellow. I wish you times of joy with him. It was sure hard for me loving our Angel as I did (and do) to let her go.
Best wishes, fellow chick-lovers.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Thank you Speckledhills, I really appreciate the great detail! I am certainly going to give it try since I love my little girl and only want the best possible life for her.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Thank you so much speckledhills! I fear though, it may be too late to do anything with the legs.

What I'm going to do though, is Lil Hop Along is going to be an indoor chicken, and I am going to change the bedding to that soft paperlike bedding you can buy at walmart or the pet stores... used for guinea pigs.
She's going to be spoiled... like I'll give her many treats and I will hold her a lot. I just need to see how she develops on in further future.

Like I said before, I don't have the heart to put her down.

 

[chickenzoo]

One of my MM chicks I got in march that survived all the stuff that was going on was left with very little movement in her legs. She still managed to wiggled over to the food and water and seemed happy otherwise. She continued to try and had a happy attitude, so I could not put her down. I made a sling for her and suspended her from the top of her cage so she could exercise her legs and push herself over to her food. Her legs are getting stronger and she is getting more use of them. She still has a happy atittude and as long as she continues to try I will too.
I named her Hope. I hope you will find something to make it's little life continue to stay comfortable.

 

[snowydiamonds]

"like I'll give her many treats and I will hold her a lot."

If the legs are weak, it only makes sense not to hold them and over feed them but try to get the exercise to stabilize and strengthen the muscles...

otherwise, its more like the obese children of the world today, the parent killing the child w/kindness by over feeding, lack of exercise and lack of will power.

Everything in moderation, too much of anything is not a good nor healthy thing.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Oh this is so sad, and you all are so sweet to care about these poor little critters. How is Lil Hop doing today?

 

[WillsMama93]

Have you ever seen a dog wheelchair? It's like a wheeled cart for doggies with problems with their back legs.. I wish there was a way to come up with such a contraption to help these chickens. One of the other board memebers has a rooster who is injured, and they have him in a sling now until he builds his strentgh back up... some engineering wonderkid needs to come up with a chicken wheelchair!!

 

[banter]

I had 100% success with the bandaid method but the chick was only 5 days old when I started-good luck and give it a try.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Thanks guys.

Chickenzoo, I'm glad to hear that your chick made it safe and sound! I think that when she gets a little older and her legs get a bit longer, I think I'll try the sling method. It sounds like a great idea and I know SpeckledHen has tried it with her rooster.

Snowydiamonds, I absoloutly agree with you, I am moreso saying that I will give her more of a variety of food when I feed her... like for example, one day she can have mash... the next day a little bit of scrambled eggs... the next day yogurt, the next day some tomato... so on and so forth. I mean, I want her to feel happy and not give up on life... I want her to know shes loved and she has a reason to live.

Horsegirl, thank you very much. She is doing well today. I'm glad that she can manage to scoot her way on over to the food and water dish, it's good to know that she can take care of herself.

Willsmama, I've thought the same exact thing! If ONLY they made a chicken wheelchair! That is exactly what she needs! If only she would have front limbs to push herself around.

Banter, that's great the bandaid method worked for you! I tried that with her when it was just the one leg and it first happened, didn't work though. Sadly at this point in time, I fear it is too late.