My spraddle legged chick... (Did I fix it?)

[Kimblee]

I really didn't want to get involved. i spent an hour telling myself not to mess with the chick, that chicks die all the time and it wouldn't be my fault.

But it was so determined to eat and drink... it rolled to the food dish!

So out it came and I tried the band-aid trick... but it still isn't stnding up. Is it supposed to stand imediatly?

Did I do this right?

(the chick is almost two days old, not sure how long its been spraddle legged.)

*worried*

 

[bigdawg]

the bandaid looks perfect. what do you have for it to walk on. he needs all the footing he can get. does it eat and drink? i am using the good paper towels for the first week. it should start walking on its own. just make sure it eats and drinks. i am sorry to say but mine didnt make past three days with the bandaid crutches. dont feel bad if he doesnt make it. at least you tried. and your splint looks perfect. remember its all about mother nature. good luck....

 

[popcornpuppy]

We have a chick, 2 weeks old and was spraddled. We did the band aid for 3 or 4 days and then switched to a small hair elastic. (the kind with the nylon on the outside.) We tied the elastic in a knot in the center and put one leg through each loop. It looked like a figure 8. You can make the loops tighter by twisting them before you slip the legs through. Our chick is doing great and shows no signs of leg or feet trouble. I would say your chick has hope and you are helping it

 

[Kimblee]

They are all on newspaper...

Would paper towels work better?

 

[newchickmom09]

Yes, newspaper is very slippery for the chicks to walk on. Paper towels would be the best bet right now for them. There is a lot of grip for them and they won't slip around on them like newspaper. At about 1 week old you can put them on pine bedding with some grit available.

 

[Kimblee]

Okay.

I need to get more paper towels then, I just used up the few i had making a spot between the food and the water for my little band-aid girl.

(Be a girl! Be a girl!)

 

[eggsrcool]

Looks good!

 

[Kimblee]

She's still doing good... I set her beside the water everytime I pass so she'll drink...

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

She needs to be able to have "traction" when she learns to walk. Your splint looks great. I think the chick has a really good chance at a normal life.

Until you get some more paper towels do you have any paper napkins? How about a wash cloth...that does not have any strings on it? Strings can get wrapped around a chicks toes and cause problems. You could also cut up and old sweatshirt and have the fleece side up so the chick could use that for traction. I would get her/them off the newspaper asap. Let us know how the chich does. I would not take the splint off for a couple of weeks. Good Luck.

 

[Kimblee]

My mother gave me a couple of "microfiber' washclothes for them, and sprinkled the boton of the cage with chick food.

The others seem to be doing okay. No one is picking on IttyBittyChickie and he was good and onery this morning. (Somehow made iot from the opposite side of the brooder to the food dish and was up on it for a snack.... yet he won;t stand up and alleviate my worries!) I put him by the water and he had a nice drink.

How long before he'll stand up? I'm scared.