Possible splayed leg chick

[Debbie292d]

She got some food, snuggled her chicken and toppled over then crashed out. She sure was chowing down on food when I got home from getting Poultry Cell.

The way she's laying there like that looks troublesome. I thought she seemed fine by the way she was walking and standing. Hopefully, she'll learn to sleep sitting with her legs under her. Is she continuing making improvements with her coordination otherwise?

The vitamin supplement, if you overdo it, will wind up causing diarrhea. We usually go one day on vitamins, one day of just water, and so on, which helps prevent it.

 

[deerhurst]

The way she's laying there like that looks troublesome. I thought she seemed fine by the way she was walking and standing. Hopefully, she'll learn to sleep sitting with her legs under her. Is she continuing making improvements with her coordination otherwise?

The vitamin supplement, if you overdo it, will wind up causing diarrhea. We usually go one day on vitamins, one day of just water, and so on, which helps prevent it.

I agree, it does look troublesome. She has been up and down and all around all day. Just checked on her, she is snuggled under her chicken.


No, she never has been fine. Yes, she is standing. Walking? That's more of a stumble and recovery. I am encouraged to see that she is starting to go straight up and down like a normal chicken. I've seen her so that a few times now.

 

[deerhurst]

Little Derpy has somehow gotten to the other side of her chicken this morning. She seems to really like trying to be under it. Wish I could have found something fluffier. She was on the other side of it 20 minutes ago.

I really hope she shows more improvement today. Today she is a week old. I'd like to get her back to the others ASAP.

 

[deerhurst]

We are getting some more progress! We havnt named everyone but the 2 in the video have some sort of name. Bob is Bob Zombie. We think Bob is a splash cochin. Bob got the name from the washed out color being zombie skin like and the name Rob Zombie and the Bob likes to inspect the structure of everything constantly pecking walls (Bob the Builder). Bob also has war paint over the eyes. Pretty sure Bob is actually a she though. Wife calls Derpy "Tom" as there is never a moment without peeping (Peeping Tom). Tom (Derpy) is the lighter colored, we think, cochin.

Looks like there were even steps taken and food eaten without falling over (which she did do by the end of the video). Kinda crashed and burned into the food and water after tripping over the food dish. Bob was nice enough to not pick on her as well! Yay! Instantly cold once her splash was done.

 

[deerhurst]

Wife reported that she is able to stand unsupported in her hands this morning and was going straight down to lay down then straight up to get up in her hands this morning! Hoping for more progress!!

Back to the poultry cell booster water today. Looks like she is also getting interested in dry food though not really sure what to do with it. She doesn't really open her beat far enough to get any in there. We are starting to mix some more dry into her diet vs the mush we've been making from it.

 

[deerhurst]

Still improving but slowly. Still a bit wobbly compared to Bob.

Out with Bob again today after work. Balancing on the lip of the lid and trying to steal food from Bob.

And then they crashed.

She keeps messing with the tops of her wings around where they meet her body, both sides. What's up with that?

 

[deerhurst]

The wife has named her Tom because she is always peeping.

She is still unsteady but getting around as long as the ground is not too slick. 3D printing a waterer base for them as my DIY poked holes in a water bottle with a pocket knife and set in a small plastic container lid has the holes too high. We have also changed her over to dry food from the wet mush. She doesnt like the bigger chunks but is eating it just fine. Saw her even attempt to scratch her head with a foot today!

 

[RMshorty]

We have something like that going on.

I just want to make sure we are going in the right direction. Especially since it's not a real noticeable splay. I originally thought it was a balance issue.

It's so so small I'm afraid to hurt it.



Edit again:

Took the hobble off. When set back in the brooder it fell over and was unable to right itself self with the hobble. It's trying really hard to be upright but unable to stay up, when it stays up it has its beak almost on the ground. One of those others is already starting to go after it. Eventually it got tired and just fell over and went to sleep until the one attacked it again. Legs were twitching and a wing was out as it layed on its side. Not normal. I'm worried it's more than just a bit of splayed.

Another edit:

Removed little derpy from the others since one of the others was going after her pretty hard and clamped her toes hard enough for me to pick up both birds when I went to separate the offender. She has her own little box next to the others with a dish of the mush which hopefully has enough food and water in it. She was standing a little (swaying like a drunk) and stumbling around checking things out in the box. Within a few minutes she fell over and crashed out without a peep. The box floor is lined with that foam stuff that goes in kitchen drawers to prevent things sliding and there is a tiny shallow dish of watery mush for her. I hope little derpy gets better soon. I haven't dealt with this before!

Vitamins! Just a tiny bit and diluted sugar water should help. Many times vitamin B is deficient.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

Long story short the wife and I went to town for pavers and bedding material and happened across a sad little bantam chick, the store told us to take it and a friend for it so we went home with 4 bantams. They were hatched monday.

The sad little one was on its side and everyone else in the run running over it. We got it home and it could stay upright if leaning on a wall but within a couple steps would tumble and be on its side kicking. In your hand with a wall to lean on it feels pretty strong and will basically leap out of the hand. The splay isnt bad enough to be doing the splits. The outer toe on each foot does seem to be extra tiny but does seem to be in the right direction when the foot is on the ground.

This evening it seems to be able to at least stand in one spot and has even taken a few steps without totally crashing but it is still extremely unstable and does eventually end up crashing and kicking with its feet in the air. We have been researching splayed leg fixes. We have a TINY TINY sports tape (not the sticky kind) hobble installed (not a fan at all, lots of screaming involved) and trying the cup method (basically a shot glass which is still too big I think). Seems to like a watery chick food mush (worried it wont be able to make it to the food and water alone). It does yell at the food and seems to desperately want to stand in the food.


Anyone have other thoughts or suggestions?

I had this exact issue. Was on her side / back and would flop over. I read something online about the back muscles not being developed enough at hatch as well as splayed leg. I used vet wrap for the hobble on her legs and put her in a cup or small jar. Something that makes her sit up right. I also wedged some paper towel under and around her. She didn’t like it, but I kept her in it for 24 hours while she was still in the incubator. But eventually she developed enough of her strength to stand up and move around a bit so I took her out of the cup. She had the hobble on for about a week and now she’s 1

 

[deerhurst]

I had this exact issue. Was on her side / back and would flop over. I read something online about the back muscles not being developed enough at hatch as well as splayed leg. I used vet wrap for the hobble on her legs and put her in a cup or small jar. Something that makes her sit up right. I also wedged some paper towel under and around her. She didn’t like it, but I kept her in it for 24 hours while she was still in the incubator. But eventually she developed enough of her strength to stand up and move around a bit so I took her out of the cup. She had the hobble on for about a week and now she’s 1

Yay! I'm hoping I won't have a derpy hous chicken. Ha!

Does her progress after a week look decent to you in the videos?