quail chick with leg extended - injured hip?

[thespinningcottage]

One of our 5 day old quail chicks suddenly has one leg extended stiffly out in front of it. It moves around the brooder just fine and is eating and drinking, although it flops wherever it goes. No one has been handling them. Is it possible the other chicks have injured its hip? They always sleep in a heap. I have felt along the leg and it feels normal, no breaks detected. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Stellar]

Could it have possibly slipped? I would try to bandage it up. I know it sounds silly for a 5 day old but it may get stronger and grow back in place. He may be a gimpy but shouldn't effect him. hmm...also if they are sleeping on top of each other, try bringing the light lower...maybe it's getting too cold in there at night

 

[thespinningcottage]

Thanks - I kept the thermometer in there to check, and it's right at 100.0 in a full third of the brooder. It levels off to the upper 80's at the very outer edges, with a gradual increase to the 100. I think your babies are just that cuddly! Now, to bandage it, since it's extended in front of him would I gently wrap above his knee and "strap" it to his body? He's so teeny. I'm afraid of restricting his access to food and water also. I think this just happened between late afternoon yesterday and last evening, it wasn't like that yesterday in the early part of the day. He's fiesty, I might add! He plows through everyone with that gimpy leg and gets what he wants and where he wants. If he survives his name will be Tank!

 

[joe125]

If they have one good eye, and can see how to eat feed, and drink water...They are keepers.

Not sure about anything else.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
LOL

 

[thespinningcottage]

Yes, we're all about keeping them! He eats, he drinks, he poops, he attempts to drag the others about by their toes, in short, he's perfectly normal, just gimpy! Seriously, should I really try to bandage that tiny leg? It's not as thick as a toothpick. What do I tie it to? Picture a quail chick sitting on its bum, one leg folded normally under it and the other straight out in front. Then, it pushes off with the good leg, scooting the bum leg forward. When it snags on something, the chick just flops around the obstacle and continues as before. Should I let nature take its course?

 

[Stellar]

Since he is five days old, older now... I would let nature takes it's course. I spend $500 on splinting my pet coturnix when he fractured his distil tibia at 13 days old. The bandange always came off anyways, could have done it myself. It's really up to you, if he is moving, eating, drinking, pooping, etc... Let him be

 

[thespinningcottage]

Thanks!! I feel a lot better having your blessing on that. I would try to bandage it if you think I should. I will let nature take its course. He will get the best of everything, even if I have to make or buy him his own little cage.

 

[Stellar]

I had one white that did that when he was older...he got his leg caught, and it extended. I didn't have the heart to put him down since he was acting like the others just with a leg out...but he was with me for 6 years until last week I put him down because he got his head caught where it shouldn't have been (I am still trying to figure out what these birds think at times)....but he was normal...and produced beautiful big babies. It was an environmental injury and not genetics so I didn't worry about anything passing on. Things happen