Quail with splayed leg.

[Cooperthedog]

Hi I am a new member and I was wondering if any one could help me answer a question. This is my first time hatching quail eggs. They are tuxedo coturnix quails. I have four but one has a splayed leg. They are all a week old. The one with the splayed leg is the smallest out of all of them but he/she is eating and drinking. The question I have, is there any way to fix a quail's splayed leg with out using a brace?

 

[BReeder!]

You can try to brace them using self adhesive sports wrap. They sell it at drug stores as well pharmacy section of major store chains. Cut a thin strip and make what looks like ankle cuffs. Sorry if the description is bad...
I tried with a few of mine that hatched with splayed legs. As ll the consid chicks called to thrive and either died or had to be culled. I was dealing with over 50 hatched quail chicks though, so it was a bit easier to lose a few in my case.

 

[Kiki]

I am sorry I do not think there is a way to try to fix it with out using some type of brace.
How splayed is it?
Can you post a picture?

 

[Cooperthedog]

Thanks for the help I would post a pic if I knew how.

 

[cosmosue]

Hi there when you go to reply to a post you should see Post Reply, Upload File, and More Options.

Choose upload file that should let you post a pic

 

[cosmosue]

Also I’ve not had any with splayed legs that lasted longer than a day or so it’s usually corrected itself but in this case yours is a week old I would agree with the other posters that there really isn’t a way unless to use some sort of brace wrap thing... but I’ve not done it myself yet so I am no help there really. I mean I tried once on a very young chick thinking I had to do it but it didn’t work so well and then corrected itself.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Why do you not want to use a brace? It works, and it doesn't hurt the chick, it just annoys the chick for a little while.

 

[Cooperthedog]

Thank you for the help with uploading a pic. I was just wondering because I read some where that you can use a small glass with paper towels and put the chick in it and it builds up the leg muscle when it tries to jump out. And I put a brace on the chick to see if it will help.

 

[Fishkeeper]

The problem with splayed leg isn't leg muscle weakness, it's structure. The legs need to be held in a proper positioning, and as soon after hatching as possible, so they'll develop properly. A brace should do the trick.

 

[mintandmyrtlefarms]

I had this issue with my new quail babe that hatched yesterday. We tried the glass, for a few minutes at a time, because I wanted to see if he/she was able to fully extend without pain. I had them on a cushy layer of wood shavings, which I swapped out for paper towels (for a firmer surface). Since I saw she was able to extend without pain in the glass, I tried a brace made out of a rubber band. Disaster. I thought I would break its legs trying to get it on. Then, I tried one made from a wire bread bag tie. She flopped over and couldn’t get up or walk, and it kept slipping off. Lastly we tried a cloth bandaid, and that worked wonders! It was the easiest to apply (right under the knee), being careful not to get the tiny toe stuck in the wrapping. She walked fine immediately, and looked very comfortable. We woke this morning, and she had already popped it off with how mobile she was, and was walking great! No reapplication needed. I know this is an older post, but maybe the photos can give an example of what worked for our day old quail. I’ve placed the tiny cut strip of cloth bandaid on toothpicks to show how I placed it on her legs. Good luck, Quail Friends!