new chicks doing the split

[fatboys farm]

i just hatched 18 chicks from assorted eggs. 3 of them have legs that go in diffrent directions @ cant walk. my wife has put a bandade around 1 of the chicks legs to hold them together @ it can stand on its own. any idea why?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Ya run in to that a lot. Thats the standard fix to. Slick floors are blamed for it a lot on here.

 

[fatboys farm]

rebelcowboy what can you do for them or must they be dispossed of. cant win for losing.

 

[mulia24]

keep them like that and make sure the floor isn't slippery floor.

make sure the bandage can hold/make the legs steady stand. after some days, you can try to remove the bandage. if still can't stand normally, well i don't know anymore.

information above i saw some months ago.

 

[Chickenfortress]

This is called "spraddle legs". It's fairly common and easily treated.

1) Replace your flooring in the brooder with something less slick. Newspaper is bad, drawer liner foam is good. Paper towels, if "quilted" work great. This keeps the chicks in control of their legs.

2) Split a bandage lengthwise so it interferes with the chicks movement and comfort a bit less. Wrap the sticky portions around their legs to keep the legs from splaying.

3) You may want to keep the 3 isolated for a few days, since they will get run over constantly by the others. Keep the food and water close to them since they have very limited mobility with the bandage in place.

4) Remove the bandage after a few days. I usually go 5 days to be sure. If the legs still spraddle, reapply the bandages. This almost always works.