My little Wobbles has suddenly worsened, and what ive

[FloorCandy]

Wobbles had 1 leg splayed and completely straight out, toes smoothely curled tightly into what looked like 1 single curved claw. I had straightened his toes with a cardboard shoe, and had put him in a cup to help the splay. He was much better, hobbling around, but had what looked like a grasshopper leg. I figured as long as he got around it was better than how he started.

his leg has been looking worse the last day or so, and this morning his toes were curled again.

I put the shoe back on, and began thinking how to fix the splay, it’s easier now that he’s 6 days old and doesn’t need such perfect heating.

I attached his feet closer together with a pipe cleaner and also, I made him an orthopedic paper cup. It’s like a reverse bird feeder, he’s inside, the food is outside.

He’s situated near my laptop exhaust to keep him warmer, he can peek out and eat and drink, and I’ve seen him do both.

I know it would be easier to cull her/him, but I feel like if he can stand, it’s senseless not to grow him out to eat, and if she’s a hen, I assume she will still lay as long as she eats well.

 

[Kale the Quail]

I don't know much about splayed leg but that set up looks pretty good. cute chick. I wouldn't want to cull him/her either. get better little chick!

 

[FloorCandy]

I’m kidding myself if I think I can ever eat him haha, we’ve spent so much time together!

But after about 7 hours in the cup, I’m happy to say he can easily stay standing in there himself. At noon when I put him in, I had to use a toilet paper roll shaped around him to lessen the space, and help him stay up, and he even flopped over to his back a few times and I turned him rightways. Now he easily remains standing, turns around, constantly tries to shake off his corrective gear haha. He seems to be getting stronger with standing in a more natural position.

I had been observing him in the general pop of the brooder and his splay was worsening because whenever he laid down he turned his hips to the side, and laid down like a dog, bad leg stretched out. I’m really hoping this will teach him good habits, and strengthen the muscles and stretch the tendons to the proper position.

 

[Quailobsessed]

It feels good to fix their legs rather than cull them

 

[Alwaysfowlplay]

I used vetwrap (knock off brand, just any self adhesive gauze should work, I got mine in the pet section for a few dollars). I just cut a thin piece, rolled it like a long piece of playdoh and made little quail handcuffs. Fixed our little guys splayed leg in less than a day and have never had any issues since.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

I used vetwrap (knock off brand, just any self adhesive gauze should work, I got mine in the pet section for a few dollars). I just cut a thin piece, rolled it like a long piece of playdoh and made little quail handcuffs. Fixed our little guys splayed leg in less than a day and have never had any issues since.

I am using similar flexible, self adhesive tape, normally used to stabilize joints after sport accidents at humans.

It does not clue as much as duct tape or anything similar, so removal does not hurt the bird and it is very easy to attach.

And I fix for 36h ... if it is only splay legs, I have 100% success, since I use this.

It is 5cm wide and I cut about 3mm thick stripes. You can easily attach as needed.

 

[FloorCandy]

I tried vet wrap, I’m not sure of the actual name, I used it to train my frenchie’s lazy ear, it’s a roll of vet wrap but perforated in maybe 1 and 1/2 inch intervals. The problem is that he’s so small, even a thinly cut piece seems to weigh his legs down.

I tried chaining some leg bands together and I put each leg in the end chain of each side, it seems to work the best of anything so far, but I worry because he is about 1/4 the size of his hatch mates.

I put him in a “nest” I made with a bowl and some craft Pom poms that are chick sized, and leaning on them like nest mates seemed to help him stand. But still falls over and ends up under the poms. So he is back in his modified cup again.

because of heating issues, last night was the first time he wore his orthotics all night, previously I returned him to gen pop, and his siblings removed his shoes overnight. I’m hoping if I keep them on for 48 hours, maybe it will improve.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Crossing fingers!!!

 

[le_bwah]

I wish you and your chick luck, and hope you have the strength do what's right if they don't improve

 

[FloorCandy]

Little Wobbles didn’t make it
I got up and fed him and gave him water, in case he couldn’t get to it, every 2-3 hours all night. This morning he was eating and drinking, and cheeping, flopping around energetically, eyes bright and clear.
Suddenly around lunchtime he just got more lethargic than usual, he’s usually pretty animated even if he’s just tapping his boot foot trying to keep his balance.
I removed his orthotics and put him back in the main brooder he flopped into the under plate area, and his buddies snuggled around him, I cleared the table from lunch and checked him and I saw his leg spasm, I took him out but he had passed.

I’m guessing he probably had issues internally, besides his visible deformities, he seemed pretty happy up until an hour or two ago. You don’t win them all I guess.
On a happier note the one who I had corrected his curled toes when he was a bit over a day old, and the shrink wrapped chick are completely normal, I don’t even know which was shrinked wrapped, several look the same. I have 19 healthy 8 day old chicks, we had one die suddenly the morning after he hatched, and Wobbles passed day 8.
I think 19 from 36 eggs that went in on day nine that were lost in the mail for a week, from eBay of all places is better than I could have hoped for. Haha
I’m thinking about making a thread where I post a photo of each chick and we can guess male or female, is there interest in that? It would be fun to see how many were correct in a few weeks.