Maybe it wasn't spraddle leg? and now a new question...

[wegotchickens]

Hi,
I read everything I coul about spraddle leg before posting this, but am not reassured...

Mine's a Mille fleur d'Uccle chick, 3 weeks old.
The first week after hatching I thought one might have spraddle leg but wasn't sure and everyone milled around and looked alike: Too hard to isolate the one I thought was walking funny. Especially with those feathered feet!

They waddled and they grew and I realized she was REALLY walking funny. It was like overnight I could tell a difference. I put her in a band-aid right then, but she was already almost 2 weeks old.

She has spent almost 2 weeks in band-aids but no definite improvement. She's strong enough that she keeps popping the band aid off, so I wrapped 1/3 of a BIG band-aid around one way, and then another 1/3 around the other way (these are the 4"x1.5" band-aids). She's been in these for only a day, but this looks like it will hold her legs steady for longer than a few hours. We've steadily progressed to bigger band-aids as I tried to find something she couldn't pop.

Is she too old for it to work? Should I give it another week or so before I give up?
On a spraddle leg chick, does the top of the leg bone feel like it's moved away from the hip (almost sharp)? If it was broken, would it hurt her to have the band-aids put on?

She waddles along fine and puts weight on it when it's bound up. She does favor it, but uses it. The 4" band-aid allows her a little more room for a stride. She's active, eats, flutters around during free-range time. She's otherwise healthy & clear-eyed. No noticable size difference.

Any suggestions or input? Has anyone had an older chick that has survived treatment and improved?

 

[dlhunicorn]

When treating (with the bandaging) for spraddle-leg one should always include Polyvisol Enfamil (three drops a day for a week then taper off the next) as an integral part of the treatment.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Quote:
I have a chick that spraddled really late, like 4-5 weeks. I still do not know why. I have been attempting to hobble it for 6 weeks now with no improvement. I had read 3 weeks can be done, but there is very little I could find on later spraddle success. We still have her and every day I think I have to put her down, as she really cannot walk and seems so unhappy.

I hope you have luck!

 

[wegotchickens]

I've been adding vitamins to the water, but not giving them directly to the chick. I will start giving them directly to her.

Horsegirl, I wish you luck with your baby. I posted here because I'm starting to get very worried about my chick and do not want to put her down. I'm praying that the stronger wrapping will hold and that it will make a difference.

Lacey seems to be doing okay. She can't run around or fly as much as her siblings, but she doesn't seem to be too depressed, either. If she works her hobble free then she can barely get around. But she does pretty well when hobbled and is definitely eating, drinking, stretching, and scratching. She was still hobbled and upright this morning. She stretched the band-aids a little but didn't break free like she usually does.

I'm going to switch from big fabric band-aids to the big plastic ones. Maybe they won't stretch as easy? And I'll start giving her vitamin drops directly.
I'm afraid that as she grows and gets heavier my odds on getting this to repair itself will fall.
DH suggested using rubber bands to hobble her. And I also read about using pipe cleaners.

What are you using, horsegirl?

 

[Solsken Farm]

Ours is a bantam and is now 3 months old. So she is tiny but still her weight has impacted the growth and caused her legs to go further out.

At 5 weeks, she was too big for bandaids. I went to vet wrap and a hair band. I have been warned by an aviary specialist to be careful of vet wrap as it can shrink if it gets wet and cut off circulation. I have been doing this part successfully.

Sadly, I just unwrapped her now and it is just as bad as ever. So I think this is it. It is just not fair to her.

3 weeks, I think you have much better chances. I just didn't catch it at first as she was walking fine for the first few weeks. She must have had some type defect as we used paper towels and shavings from the outset.

Keep us posted. I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed and feel free to pm me.

 

[wegotchickens]

I've kept a bandaid on and of consistent width.
I've given her the vitamin drops every day.

She's still favoring it and clearly limping.

My week isn't quite up, so we'll hang in there. But shouldn't she be doing better?

She eats well, drinks plenty, her poops look like her sibling's poops. She is as feathered out as well, and her eyes are clear and don't look pained.
But she rests more than plays when they are out in 'their' corner of the yard. And I never see her scratch or stretch the way she was earlier in this week. And they way she hobbles looks like she is in some pain.

Any suggestions on alternate therapies?
Is there something more I could do?

I really don't want to put this little girl down. I will if I have to, but I don't want to give up yet.

 

[fullhouse]

Do you think she has a quality of life?

I have a little cochin chick that should have been culled due to a major foot/leg defect. Turned out only 2 of 6 hatched so I let him stay for company, assuming he would be dead or put down soon. He's doing OK! Not active, but eats and drinks, hops around, and cuddles with his sister. That's not such a bad life. When he gets bigger, he will be one roo that will never sneak attack me

 

[Solsken Farm]

Oh I am sorry it isn't going well. But I read that you need to do it for at least 2 weeks on older chicks. So if you aren't ready to give up on her, don't, unless you think she is really distressed. Keep the hobbles on at all times.

We finally felt our little girl was too uncomfortable and unhappy, so we let her go a few days ago.

But she had been on vacation with us, grocery shopping, outings of all kinds and was truly loved. We held out as long as we could.

I could not find any other treatment, short of having a vet perform some surgery, which was not an option for us as there is no vet in our area that works with poultry.

I really know how you feel.

Edited to add: Ours was a little mille fleur also. She was like a little dove.

 

[wegotchickens]

Oh, horsegirl! I'm so sorry you had to let your girl go. :aww
I'll definitely give her another week. I'm going to change her band-aids tonight though. They are looking pretty yucky. And I want to make sure there isn't something nasty developing underneath them.

Aren't Mille Fleur d'Uccles just the sweetest little things? I am totally in love with this breed!

Thanks for the input fullhouse. She doesn't have the same quality of life as her more active siblings, but she isn't miserable, either. And I noticed that my favorite baby roo is always taking up for her if someone steps on her or gets in her face. So she is loved. But I want her to be able to do chicken things like chasing bugs.

I'll change her binding and keep giving her the vitamins for another week. Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Solsken Farm]

Can she get around at all? I mean if she is only limping, that is not so bad. I would have kept her if she was only limping. Ours seemed truly distressed as the weeks went on.

I changed the vet wrap/hair band hobble every 3 days or so, sooner if it got dirty.

Can you post a picture of her?

Yes, they are the sweetest. I am hoping to get a few more this weekend, with any luck.

Sending you best best wishes.