My Chicks keep getting born with weird legs

TroubledChicken

In the Brooder
Jul 27, 2017
10
3
26
Hello Everyone,

I'm just after some advice for my new chickens. I've hatched only two batches of chicks, one about 8 weeks ago and another as of today.

My first hatch gave me 8/12 chicks, two of which had a wonky leg. One chick unfortunately had to be put down as one of his legs pretty much stuck out at a right angle and the other had a less serious case of what seemed like the same injury. He is now 8 week old and eats, plays and runs around like any of his brothers or sisters.

Today, I had another 18 eggs start to hatch. Only two have unzipped at this point with a few others pipping but already I have noticed with one of the chicks is having trouble walking/standing - the same as my previous hatch.

I don't think the condition is spraddle leg as my floor is non-slip and it always seems to be the one leg having the issues. I'm thinking it might have something to do with a slipped tendon but I am wondering if anyone else would have any ideas as to why this is happening (could it be genetic) /if it can be fixed/and how it can be prevented in the future.

I got my eggs from the same people and via the post. The first two with the injury were Australorps and the one currently is a Wyandotte. I don't know if it's worth mentioning but I have noticed that my incubator sometimes didn't turn both batches of eggs very efficiently as they would occasionally get jammed under one another.

I'm sorry for the bombardment of information but any advice would be a huge help!!
 
I think I read some where slipped tendon can happen in the egg if they hatch weird, and is more common in incubators then broody hatches. But it can also be genetic, nutritional or injury. But my understanding slipped tendon can cause spraddle legs if its severe or untreated. Anyways, no i don't have experience with incubators, but i would guess if your having turning issues with it that might be your first culprit. I did have sucess treating slipped tendon in a 1week old likely from injury but that's my only experience with it.
 
I think I read some where slipped tendon can happen in the egg if they hatch weird, and is more common in incubators then broody hatches. But it can also be genetic, nutritional or injury. But my understanding slipped tendon can cause spraddle legs if its severe or untreated. Anyways, no i don't have experience with incubators, but i would guess if your having turning issues with it that might be your first culprit. I did have sucess treating slipped tendon in a 1week old likely from injury but that's my only experience with it.

It is very hard to try to figure out what has been going wrong with so many different variables. I think your right though, I will have to try to improve the turning cabilities of my incubator as I think it may be the leading factor.

Do you mind me asking how you treated the slipped tendon? I tried the bandaid trick on my last chick for about 4 days which didn't seem to do anything. If I need to go down this path agin with my current hatch, I'd love to have some different options.
 
From what I read the bandaid trick only help spraddle leg at the hip. Slipped tendon is at the hock.

The hock may be swollen.

You pull the leg back gentle like if a grown chicken is stretching then gently rub the hock to push the tendon back in place. For me the first time i had to follow the tendon from above to fell where it was going. Some people day to suspend then in a chick chair while it heals and seperate then do they don't get pecked (i did neither and infact kept her with the flock).

I did try to do a figure 8 wrap with vet tape but her foot started to swell the next day. Is a good option if the temdon doesn't want to stay in place but you have to keep in eye on it. The 8 should be wraped to the front of the leg not over the hock so there is still some movement in the hock.

I also checked and stretched her leg every evening most parts say 2-3 times a day and feeling to make sure the tendon is still in place. Being with the flock i couldn't catch her that often.

I worried after the first few days she might recover with a permanent limp but after about week of just stretching her every night there was no longer any sign of a limp and I could no longer identify her from the other similar chicks.

Of you can't at least eye an eye on the chick regularly to make sure its eating drinking and not getting pecked i would certainly seperate it for a few days. But i felt get being able to stand was walk even with a limp was enough to keep her one the ground and not suspended, it might have taken longer in recovery but it worked for me.

*for the figure 8 with vet wrap you need to trim down a long piece about a half inch wide just expect to have to trim it a few times to get the right fit
 
From what I read the bandaid trick only help spraddle leg at the hip. Slipped tendon is at the hock.

The hock may be swollen.

You pull the leg back gentle like if a grown chicken is stretching then gently rub the hock to push the tendon back in place. For me the first time i had to follow the tendon from above to fell where it was going. Some people day to suspend then in a chick chair while it heals and seperate then do they don't get pecked (i did neither and infact kept her with the flock).

I did try to do a figure 8 wrap with vet tape but her foot started to swell the next day. Is a good option if the temdon doesn't want to stay in place but you have to keep in eye on it. The 8 should be wraped to the front of the leg not over the hock so there is still some movement in the hock.

I also checked and stretched her leg every evening most parts say 2-3 times a day and feeling to make sure the tendon is still in place. Being with the flock i couldn't catch her that often.

I worried after the first few days she might recover with a permanent limp but after about week of just stretching her every night there was no longer any sign of a limp and I could no longer identify her from the other similar chicks.

Of you can't at least eye an eye on the chick regularly to make sure its eating drinking and not getting pecked i would certainly seperate it for a few days. But i felt get being able to stand was walk even with a limp was enough to keep her one the ground and not suspended, it might have taken longer in recovery but it worked for me.

*for the figure 8 with vet wrap you need to trim down a long piece about a half inch wide just expect to have to trim it a few times to get the right fit

Thank you so much sawilliams! Once I can get my chicks out of the incubator I will be sure to start practising your methods and hopefully my chick will recover like yours!
 
Ty coach for adding a link. I never think to save links when I have to do research like that. But then again i usually spend the better part of a day researching before I set up my action plan. Now if only I could be as diligent with my leg mite issue as i was with the slipped tendon. Leg mites are just a pain in the butt and with 18 chickens (chicks included) is a bit of a process
 

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