New chick with curved legs and feet?

[NoVA Chicks]

We hatched our first chick this morning. He zipped his egg pretty quickly but his bottom half was stuck in the egg for hours. Finally he started to get very tired and just laid his head down, so I took him out of the incubator--his top half was dry at least. I put him in the brooder and he's drying out but still isn't standing. His legs seem very strange. It's almost like they're on backwards, set more towards his back than his front, and curled behind him. He's been out for a couple of hours and still can't stand. Will he grow out of this? If not, can I intervene? I've seen pictures of various toe splints, will that help him? (I'll try to post a picture shortly.)

 

[paddock36]

I had a few chicks that had spraddle leg and used the band-aid splints and it worked great. I would think it wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[NoVA Chicks]

 

[Happy Chooks]

http://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

Cut a piece out of a toilet paper roll. Put that on the bottom of the chicks foot and using a bandaid or soft tape, tape the toes to the correct posture on the piece of roll. Do this for each foot. It's my understanding that after a week, the feet should be fine.

 

[NoVA Chicks]

Well, I tried to straighten his toes and attach them to a small piece of cardboard and they were very hard to move and he screeched like he was in pain.

His legs are a little bit better today but still look like they're at the wrong angle. Two more chicks have hatched and not only are their legs at a different angle, but their legs and toes are much larger than the first chick's, too. He also has pasty butt.

I'm trying to build my nerve up to try to tape his toes again tonight but I'm not feeling very hopeful.

 

[thedeacon]

do the brave and humane thing, Cull it. It is now or later after a miserable few days or weeks.

 

[catwalk]

Your chick doesn't look good, sorry. I don't see how you would be able to pull it's lege foreward so it can stand. If it can't walk around to eat or drink, it will starve in a couple of days. Animals need to move around, also, for blood circulation. The muscle movements will help the heart. I would reccomend culling it. I'm sorry; I know it's hard to do. I am agonizing right now over a week-old with a swollen face and disgusting things coming out of it's eye.

 

[NoVA Chicks]

I cleaned his little vent again and a lot of blood came out. I don't think he's going to last much longer.

I know it would be kinder to cull him than let him fade away but I'm here by myself with my toddler. I'm a die hard feminist but there are something things I'd be happy to let a man do for me . . .

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm so sorry.

 

[The Sheriff]