Need advice--chick with bad leg

[tulip]

We just picked up four 7 day old chicks at feed store to discover one little baby has a bad leg. The "elbow" is callussed from her using it as a foot. Any advice on correcting this or helping her along? I've read abt splinting, bandaids, cod liver oil but do not know which road to take. She is happy, but prefers sitting to jumping around with her buddies. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

[VaM715]

I had one lust like him. I had to bandaid him for about 3 weeks. He's up now, but the foot is twisted. I believe that he slipped tendon.

 

[tulip]

Were you able to bend the foot down? She won't let me.

 

[arlee453]

I had one exactly like that one. And I DO mean exactly.

Unfortunatly my girl had a less happy ending. I ended up culling her as as she got bigger and bigger she started having problems with the good leg.

I don't know if it was because she stressed out the good leg hopping on it, or because it was so hard to get around she didn't use it enough, but it got to the point where the only way she could get around was to flap and push off with the good leg and basically scoot around on her chest.

At that point I felt that her future quality of life would be very minimal, and the kindest thing to do would be to cull.

If I remember correctly she was several weeks old by that time. I know she was fully feathered out - 9 wks old sticks in my mind...

I'll see if I can find my thread on her progress...

Ah ha - here's the thread on the inital issue. BTW...in retrospect, I really don't think it was a staph infection - I think it was more just a callous, or swelling on the joint rather than infection in there...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=27399

And, if it comes to it, my thread on my decision to cull her:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=32170

Hope your chick has a happier ending!!

 

[BikerBabeRules]

My little chickie with the EXACT same issue but on other leg I had to let go as well. It was something in her joint, dislocated or something, I could move it into place, it just never stayed. She was the best personalitied chick ever to boot. I feel for yah,,,, Kathy

 

[tulip]

I guess we'll try to bandaid her when my husband gets home and see how it takes. My two little girls just love her.

 

[VaM715]

Yes, I could bend the leg down, it peeped like it hurt though. But it's getting around fine now. It was born March 19th, so if nothing happens, it should make it.

 

[tulip]

Thanks everyone. We bandaided her. The callus looks worse, actually a little cut open. And with the bandaid on, the foot is definitely twisted. Will hope for the best. Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[kelliepulido]

I had to cull mine w/same issue too she was in alot of pain cried all the time.It was much better to let her go.I tried the bandaid thing and taping her feet no luck.The other one is doing fine but it just had the curled up toes and not the leg thing going.

 

[ChickadeeLover]

I hope she will okay! Good luck!