Peachick with bad leg

[mothaducker]

I just got a handful of peachicks and one has a bad leg. It’s a little hard to tell in the pics but it’s bent up and to the side from the hock. It can’t stand at all on it - hard to tell if it’s a congenital problem or an injury form before I got them. They are 1.5 weeks old. He/ she gets around ok on the good leg but falls down

frequently. Not obviously in pain. Is this something that he/ she will learn to live with or is the kindest thing to euthanize? I’ve seen adult peafowl that only have the use of one leg and they seem fine but I don’t know that they had the issue from such a young age. Thank you in advance for your input!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

I found an article about a chick that had about the same thing wrong and how the author fixed it. Maybe this would help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-caring-for-the-special-needs-chick.72163/

 

[mothaducker]

Hi,

I found an article about a chick that had about the same thing wrong and how the author fixed it. Maybe this would help.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-caring-for-the-special-needs-chick.72163/

Thank you!

 

[KsKingBee]

If it was attended to within the first couple of days you could have repaired it but after this long it would be very difficult if possible at all.

If you want to try search for slipped tendon and read a lot of suggestions. I will pull/rotate the tendon back to the back of the hock and tape it in place by pulling the tendon with the tape. At this stage you would be best to straighten the leg, pull the tendon in place, tape it and apply a splint to keep the leg from flexing. The tape would have to be checked every day and the splint replaced after assuring that the tendon is in place. There is a lot of swelling around the area that needs to be reduced by getting the tendon in the correct place, you can also give childrens liquid aspirin @ 0.10ml orally.

Once the tendon is in the correct position you need to carefully hold it in place and slowly flex the leg until the tendon stretches allowing the leg to bend properly.

I have lots of pictures, unfortunately, so many it is hard to find the right ones to show you how to tape and splint the tendon but I will look for some.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you!

Very welcome. I would also be trying vitamin therapy while you are treating it. Poultry Cell is what we use for their water and especially when treating splayed or sprained legs/tendons.

 

[mothaducker]

Thank you! Yeah I’m not sure how long it’s been like that. I just got them last night and based on the rub mark I’m guessing it’s not brand new. It’s very hard or maybe impossible to straighten the leg without feeling like I’ll break it. Idk if it’s not a slipped tendon or it’s been going on too long ?

If it was attended to within the first couple of days you could have repaired it but after this long it would be very difficult if possible at all.

If you want to try search for slipped tendon and read a lot of suggestions. I will pull/rotate the tendon back to the back of the hock and tape it in place by pulling the tendon with the tape. At this stage you would be best to straighten the leg, pull the tendon in place, tape it and apply a splint to keep the leg from flexing. The tape would have to be checked every day and the splint replaced after assuring that the tendon is in place. There is a lot of swelling around the area that needs to be reduced by getting the tendon in the correct place, you can also give childrens liquid aspirin @ 0.10ml orally.

Once the tendon is in the correct position you need to carefully hold it in place and slowly flex the leg until the tendon stretches allowing the leg to bend properly.

I have lots of pictures, unfortunately, so many it is hard to find the right ones to show you how to tape and splint the tendon but I will look for so

 

[KsKingBee]

Thank you! Yeah I’m not sure how long it’s been like that. I just got them last night and based on the rub mark I’m guessing it’s not brand new. It’s very hard or maybe impossible to straighten the leg without feeling like I’ll break it. Idk if it’s not a slipped tendon or it’s been going on too long ?

The usual cause is a hatching problem or being on a slick surface and the leg slips out from under the chick making the tendon slip off the hock. If you can't fix it I would put it down, they don't survive easily with only one leg. Being on the ground and not being able to dust bathe or roost they get lice infections and go downhill.

 

[mothaducker]

Ok. Thanks again for your advice.